Bejel, yaws, and pinta

[Jessica]

Bejel, yaws (frambesia), and pinta are infections caused by Treponema, which are spiral-shaped bacteria called spirochetes (see figure How Bacteria Shape Up).

These infections are spread by any close contact with the skin of an infected person—usually between children living in conditions of poor hygiene.
Bejel causes mouth sores and destructive lumps in bone.
Yaws causes skin sores and disfiguring growths on the legs and around the nose and mouth.
Pinta causes itchy, thickened, discolored patches on the skin.
Doctors diagnose these infections when people have typical symptoms and have spent time in areas where the infections are common.
One injection of penicillin kills the bacteria.

(See also Overview of Bacteria.)
Disorders that are caused by Treponema, such as bejel, yaws, and pinta, are known as treponematoses. Syphilis is another treponematosis caused by the closely related bacteria called Treponema pallidum. However, syphilis and bejel, yaws, and pinta are spread in different ways. Syphilis is spread by sexual contact, whereas bejel, yaws, and pinta are spread by any close contact (sexual or not) with the skin of an infected person—chiefly between children living in conditions of poor hygiene. Bejel also may be spread by mouth-to-mouth contact or when eating utensils are shared. Also unlike syphilis, bejel, yaws, and pinta are not spread through contact with contaminated blood or from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
Bejel occurs mainly in the hot, dry regions of the eastern Mediterranean and Saharan West Africa.
Yaws occurs in hot, humid countries that are very near the equator in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
Pinta is common among the natives of Mexico, Central America, and South America. Pinta is not very contagious.
Bejel, yaws, and pinta rarely occur in the United States, except among immigrants from areas of the world where these diseases are common.