Yaws Medication

  • Author: Natalie C Klein; Chief Editor: Burke A Cunha, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 12, 2011
 

Medication Summary

The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity and to prevent complications.

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Antibiotics

Class Summary

Benzathine penicillin is the DOC for treating yaws. In remote areas where benzathine penicillin is unavailable, oral penicillin V for 7-10 days can reduce the prevalence of yaws and is effective in treating individual children with active lesions.[1]

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Penicillin G benzathine (Bicillin)

 

Interferes with cell wall synthesis during active multiplication, resulting in bactericidal activity against susceptible microorganisms.

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Tetracycline (Achromycin, Sumycin)

 

Avoid benzathine penicillin in patients allergic to penicillin; tetracycline or erythromycin is alternate therapy.

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Erythromycin (Erythrocin, E-Mycin, E.E.S.)

 

Inhibits bacterial growth, possibly by blocking dissociation of peptidyl t-RNA from ribosomes, causing RNA-dependent protein synthesis to arrest. For treatment of staphylococcal and streptococcal infections. Indicated for the treatment of infections in children allergic to penicillin or in pregnant women.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Natalie C Klein  MD, PhD, Associate Director, Infectious Disease Division, Associate Professor of Medicine, The School of Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center

Natalie C Klein is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and New York County Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Gary L Gorby, MD  Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases, Creighton University School of Medicine; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Associate Chair, Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Gary L Gorby, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP  Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Baystate Medical Center; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Massachusetts Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD  Clinical and Research Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital

Eleftherios Mylonakis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Burke A Cunha, MD  Professor of Medicine, State University of New York School of Medicine at Stony Brook; Chief, Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital

Burke A Cunha, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  16. Guerrier G, Marcon S, Garnotel L, Deltour R, Schinas S, Mathelin JP, et al. Yaws in Polynesia's Wallis and Futuna Islands: a seroprevalence survey. N Z Med J. Apr 29 2011;124(1333):29-31. [Medline].

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Initial papilloma, also called mother yaw or primary frambesioma (from Perine PL, Hopkins DR, Niemel PLA, et al. Handbook of Endemic Treponematoses: Yaws, Endemic Syphilis, and Pinta. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1984.).
Plantar papillomata with hyperkeratotic macular plantar early yaws (ie, crab yaws) (from Perine PL, Hopkins DR, Niemel PLA, et al. Handbook of Endemic Treponematoses: Yaws, Endemic Syphilis, and Pinta.Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1984.).
Osteoperiostitis of the tibia and fibula in early yaws (from Perine PL, Hopkins DR, Niemel PLA, et al. Handbook of Endemic Treponematoses: Yaws, Endemic Syphilis, and Pinta. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1984.).
Early yaws papillomata (from Perine PL, Hopkins DR, Niemel PLA, et al. Handbook of Endemic Treponematoses: Yaws, Endemic Syphilis, and Pinta. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1984.).
Early ulceropapillomatous yaws on the leg (from Perine PL, Hopkins DR, Niemel PLA, et al. Handbook of Endemic Treponematoses: Yaws, Endemic Syphilis, and Pinta. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1984.).
Squamous macular palmar yaws (from Perine PL, Hopkins DR, Niemel PLA, et al. Handbook of Endemic Treponematoses: Yaws, Endemic Syphilis, and Pinta. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1984.).
 
 
 
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