Yaws (frambesia) 1

General: Chronic infectious disease of childhood; causative agent is Treponema pertenue; incubation period 3 to 4 weeks; factors include poor hygiene, humidity, and scanty clothing; infectious cutaneous relapses occur during first 5 years of life.

Ocular: Conjunctivitis; lid granulomas; keratitis; iridocyclitis; lid ulceration; cornea leukomata; cicatricial ectropion.

Clinical: Skin lesion and relapsing secondary lesion of skin and bone; painful papules of soles of feet; crablike gait; fever; lymphadenopathy; nocturnal bone pain; periostitis; gummas of skin and long bones; hyperkeratoses of soles and palms; osteitis; periosteitis; hydrarthrosis.

Kasper DL, et al., eds. Harrisons Principles of Internal Medicine, 16th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Duke-Elder S, MacFaul PA, eds. System of Ophthalmology, vol. XIII. St. Louis: CV Mosby, 1974.

Falabella R. Nonvenereal treponematoses: yaws, endemic syphilis, and pinta. J Am Acad Dermatol 1994; 31:1075.