Attenuated yaws in Surinam

In 1976, 969 schoolchildren from the District of Saramacca in Surinam (age 4 to 16 years) were examined, especially the skin and mucous membranes. Blood samples were collected by venepuncture and skin samples were taken from individuals with lesions suggesting yaws. The diagnosis of yaws was based on a combination of epidemiological data, clinical findings, results of the VDRL test, histological evidence, and the effect of treatment with penicillin. The results showed that 212 children (22 per cent) had a reactive VDRL test, of which 29 children showed clinical lesions suggesting yaws. This indicated that yaws is prevalent (hypoendemic) in the District of Saramacca. No classical symptoms of Yaws were seen. The observed lesions were scanty or solitary, dry papillomateus, or macular and scaly, which fits into the clinical picture of attenuated endemic treponematosis

Comparison of cardiolipin and treponemal tests in the serodiagnosis of yaws

This study was carried out in 1976 and 1977 to asses the value of cardiolipin and treponemal tests in the serodiagnosis of yaws. These tests were conducted on the sera of 661 children from a region where yaws is hypo-endemic. Results of the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), rapid plasma reagin (RPR), Treponema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA), T. pallidum immobilisation (TPI), and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) tests were compared. The FTA-ABS test showed a weak reactivity (+) for 107 (16.2 per cent) sera and these children had no history and no signs or symptoms of treponemal disease. The FTA-ABS test can be used as a confirmatory test for yaws instead of the TPI test, if only the results of sera showing an intensity of fluorescence scored as ++ or more are considered to be positive. There appeared to be no significant differences in the results of the VDRL, RPR and TPHA tests as screening tests for yaws when the TPI or FTA-ABS tests were used as reference tests

Traitement de la Leishmaniasis brasiliensis cutanee par la lomidine (Pentamidine) / Threatment of leishmania cutanea with lomidin

Results of the treatment of Leishmania cutanea (South American) with Lomidin in 65 patients......(AU)