The effectiveness of penicillin in the treatment of yaws (primary and secondary)

ABSTRACT

1. Fifty-six cases of yaws were treated in 1950 with penicillin alone. Twenty-eight or 50% were with secondary lesion only; the other 50%, with both primary and secondary lesions2. The majority of the patients (52 or 92.84%) were between 1-14 years old3. In 21 or 37.5% of the cases, the primary lesion was located at the lower extremities4. Thirty or 53.6% received a total dose of 900,000 units of PAM, and of these only 16 were followed-up. Twenty six or 46.4% received a total dose of 1,200,000 units of PAM, and of these only 10 were followed up5. Penicillin is the drug of choice in the treatment of primary and secondary lesions of yaws, causing rapid desiccation of the lesions, regardless of the dosage. Better still, it is devoid of toxic reaction6. Although the clinical results were excellent, yet the serologic response was not satisfactory (only 3 or 11.63% out of 26 cases treated and followed up attained seronegativity 3,8, and 15 months after treatment)7. This short course of penicillin therapy is easier and can be given to ambulatory patients. (Summary and conclusions)