Leg ulcers caused by yaws and endemic syphilis

Abstract

Treponematoses as a cause of leg ulcer is today an infrequent phenomenon and is reported sporadically. 1 Availability and widespread use of a large variety of potent antibiotics, improvements in living conditions, increased social awareness and hygiene, and worldwide improvements in medical care have all contributed to its containment. However, in the underdeveloped, third world countries, pockets of endemic treponematoses continue to persist. Of late, a resurgence of the disease appears to have occurred in Western and Central Africa, and in the Asia Pacific region, 2 7 following the easing of surveillance and control measures. The current concept as far as the classification of human-associated treponematoses is concerned is given in Table 1. 8,9