What is Yaws?
Yaws is a chronic and debilitating childhood infectious disease that affects the skin, bone and cartilage. The disease is caused by spiral bacteria of the genus Treponema. A single, itchy, raspberry-like growth develops on the skin, which eventually develops a thin, yellow crust.
It can also cause swollen lymph nodes, bone and joint pain, painful bumps and sores on the skin and on the soles of the feet and in developed cases it can cause facial swelling and disfiguration.
Key stats
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15 countries
known to be endemic for yaws
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+80,000 cases
were suspected globally in 2018