Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future
<b>Background:</b> Yaws is an infectious, neglected tropical disease that affects the skin of many children and adolescents who live in poor, rural, low-income communities in humid, tropical areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Yaws is currently endemic in at least 1...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Ezekiel K. Vicar Shirley V. Simpson Gloria I. Mensah Kennedy K. Addo Eric S. Donkor |
| author_facet | Ezekiel K. Vicar Shirley V. Simpson Gloria I. Mensah Kennedy K. Addo Eric S. Donkor |
| author_sort | Ezekiel K. Vicar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> Yaws is an infectious, neglected tropical disease that affects the skin of many children and adolescents who live in poor, rural, low-income communities in humid, tropical areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Yaws is currently endemic in at least 15 countries, but adequate surveillance data are lacking. In line with the WHO’s effort to improve early detection, diagnosis, and proper management leading to the eventual eradication of yaws, this article reviews the existing literature on yaws in Africa to highlight the epidemiological pattern, genetic variability, diagnosis modalities, treatment, and control strategies, the challenges and prospects for yaws eradication. <b>Methods</b>: We searched PubMed and Scopus databases to identify published data in line with the review objectives. <b>Results:</b> One hundred and eighty-eight peer-reviewed articles were identified by PubMed and Scopus, out of which thirty were eligible. The studies covered 11 African countries, with the reported prevalence ranging from 0.50% to 43.0%. <b>Conclusions</b>: There is a great prospect for eradication if countries capitalize on the availability of simple, inexpensive, and well-tolerated oral treatment that has proven effective, validated point-of-care diagnostic tests and new molecular tests. Countries should embark on integrated disease control efforts to increase sustainability and improve the quality of life for people living with this NTD in poor communities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-34e12eb3bc424549b4d1d24e1c0140ef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-9721 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-34e12eb3bc424549b4d1d24e1c0140ef2025-01-24T13:29:15ZengMDPI AGDiseases2079-97212025-01-011311410.3390/diseases13010014Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and FutureEzekiel K. Vicar0Shirley V. Simpson1Gloria I. Mensah2Kennedy K. Addo3Eric S. Donkor4Department of Clinical Microbiology, University for Development Studies, Tamale P.O. Box TL 1350, GhanaDepartment of Bacteriology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 581, GhanaDepartment of Bacteriology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 581, GhanaDepartment of Bacteriology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 581, GhanaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra P.O. Box GP 4236, Ghana<b>Background:</b> Yaws is an infectious, neglected tropical disease that affects the skin of many children and adolescents who live in poor, rural, low-income communities in humid, tropical areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Yaws is currently endemic in at least 15 countries, but adequate surveillance data are lacking. In line with the WHO’s effort to improve early detection, diagnosis, and proper management leading to the eventual eradication of yaws, this article reviews the existing literature on yaws in Africa to highlight the epidemiological pattern, genetic variability, diagnosis modalities, treatment, and control strategies, the challenges and prospects for yaws eradication. <b>Methods</b>: We searched PubMed and Scopus databases to identify published data in line with the review objectives. <b>Results:</b> One hundred and eighty-eight peer-reviewed articles were identified by PubMed and Scopus, out of which thirty were eligible. The studies covered 11 African countries, with the reported prevalence ranging from 0.50% to 43.0%. <b>Conclusions</b>: There is a great prospect for eradication if countries capitalize on the availability of simple, inexpensive, and well-tolerated oral treatment that has proven effective, validated point-of-care diagnostic tests and new molecular tests. Countries should embark on integrated disease control efforts to increase sustainability and improve the quality of life for people living with this NTD in poor communities.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/13/1/14yaws<i>Treponema pallidum</i> subsp. <i>pertenue</i>treponematosiseradicationneglected tropical diseases |
| spellingShingle | Ezekiel K. Vicar Shirley V. Simpson Gloria I. Mensah Kennedy K. Addo Eric S. Donkor Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future Diseases yaws <i>Treponema pallidum</i> subsp. <i>pertenue</i> treponematosis eradication neglected tropical diseases |
| title | Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future |
| title_full | Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future |
| title_fullStr | Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future |
| title_short | Yaws in Africa: Past, Present and Future |
| title_sort | yaws in africa past present and future |
| topic | yaws <i>Treponema pallidum</i> subsp. <i>pertenue</i> treponematosis eradication neglected tropical diseases |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/13/1/14 |
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