Yaws: A Second (and Maybe Last?) Chance for Eradication

Abstract

Some diseases are neglected; others are simply forgotten. Yaws belongs to the second group. One of the first diseases to be targeted for eradication on a global scale, yaws almost disappeared, thanks to a massive treatment program started in the 1950s that eliminated it from many endemic areas. Then something went wrong. The combat line somehow broke down in several points, people focused on other health emergencies, and yaws vanished from the political agenda. Not surprisingly, the disease has now resurged in several countries, where mass treatment has had to be reintroduced. Although rarely fatal, yaws leaves its indelible mark on many of those touched, horribly corroding their skin and bones. Victims are mostly young children, who end up disabled, stigmatized, and poor. However, despite its visible effects, its amenability for eradication, and all the past efforts made to eliminate it, this bacterial infection is still a menace. The present situation calls for immediate action to wipe yaws out forever. Its history, on the other hand, has much to teach on how eradication campaigns should—and should not—be planned and conducted.

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