Yaws and other endemic treponematoses

Epidemiological situation

The global extent of endemic treponematoses remains unknown. 46 countries were known to have yaws at the start of the 1952 campaigns. The most recent information and data, based on routine surveillance, from some countries are shown in the list and figure below. Reporting of yaws is not mandatory and these numbers therefore provide only an indication of the presence of the disease.

List of countries reporting recent information or data on yaws, 2008–2011 (14)

WHO Region, country (and year) of report and Number of cases

African Region (AFR)
  • Benina, b – No data available
  • Cameroon (2010) – 789
  • Central African Republic (2008) – 243
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo (2009) – 383
  • Republic of the Congo (2011) – 167
  • Ghana (2010) – 20 525
  • Togo (2010) – 15
South-East Asia Region (SEAR)
  • Indiac – 0
  • Indonesia (2011) – 5319
  • Timor-Lesteb – No data available
Western Pacific Region (WPR)
  • Papua New Guinea (2011) – 34 628
  • Solomon Islands (2010) – 20 635
  • Vanuatu (2010) – 1574

a Country known to be endemic
b Country known to be endemic but with not data available
c India interrupted transmission in 2004 and declared elimination in 2006. Since 2004, no new case has been reported.

Geographical distribution of countries with recent (2008–2011) reported data on yaws

Yaws in the news

11 April 2013 | Geneva
New trial confirms effectiveness of single-dose oral antibiotic, boosting prospects for yaws eradication
Full article


15 February 2013 | Geneva
Meeting of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication – November 2012, Weekly Epidemiological Record No. 7, 2013, 88, 73–80
Full article


13 February 2013 | Geneva
Yaws seminar
Full article www.thelancet.com


15 January 2013 | Geneva
Meeting on eradication of yaws. CICG, Geneva, Switzerland. 20–22 March 2013
To develop criteria and procedures for certification of yaws eradication.


News archives

Photogallery

Cases of yaws treated with single-dose oral azithromycin
See pictures

Contact

Yaws Eradication Programme:
yaws@who.int