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We confirmed endemicity and autochthonous transmission of yaws in Liberia after a population-based, community-led burden estimation (56,825 participants). Serologically confirmed yaws was rare and focal at population level (24 cases; 2.6 [95% CI 1.4-3.9] cases/10,000 population) with similar clinical epidemiology to other endemic countries in West Africa. Unsupervised classification of spatially referenced case finding data indicated that yaws was more likely to occur in hard-to-reach communities; healthcare-seeking was low among communities, and clinical awareness of yaws was low among healthcare workers. We recovered whole bacterial genomes from 12 cases and describe a monophyletic clade of Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue, phylogenetically distinct from known TPE lineages, including those affecting neighboring nonhuman primate populations (Taï Forest, Côte d'Ivoire). Yaws is endemic in Liberia but exhibits low focal population prevalence with evidence of a historical genetic bottleneck and subsequent local expansion. Reporting gaps appear attributable to challenging epidemiology and low disease awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: Le Burkina Faso partage ses frontières avec six pays qui signalent régulièrement des cas d'ulcère de Buruli, de pian et de lèpre (maladie de Hansen), trois maladies tropicales négligées avec des manifestations dermatologiques. Le traitement de la lèpre a montré d'excellents résultats, et il semble être éliminé. On ne peut pas en dire autant de l'ulcère de Buruli ou du pian, dont l'épidémiologie reste mal élucidée. Dans ce contexte, il a été essentiel d'examiner la situation de ces trois maladies à travers une enquête conjointe dans les districts sanitaires limitrophes de la Côte d'Ivoire, du Ghana et des zones irriguées autour des barrages de Kompienga et de Bagré. Notre équipe a mené une enquête sur les dites maladies dans ces zones irriguées, et nous présentons les résultats. Objectifs : Déterminer l'ampleur actuelle de l'ulcère de Buruli, de la lèpre et du pian dans les zones irriguées autour de ces deux barrages et formuler des recommandations. Méthodologie : Ce relevé à passage unique effectué du 10 au 18 avril était une étude descriptive transversale, avec échantillonnage basé sur la proximité des barrages. Résultats : Dans l'ensemble, 1482 personnes ont été consultées. Parmi elles, 413 (27,9 %) présentaient une dermatose, répartie comme suit : 28 cas présumés de pian (6,8 %), 7 cas présumés d'ulcère de Buruli (1,7 %), 1 cas de lèpre multibacillaire (0,24 %) chez une fillette de 8 ans, et 377 cas d'autres dermatoses, dominés par ceux d'origine fongique. Conclusion : une étude à grande échelle incluant tous les autres périmètres irrigués pourrait permettre de comprendre la situation réelle. Burkina Faso shares its borders with six countries that regularly report cases of Buruli ulcer, yaws, and leprosy (Hansen disease), three neglected tropical diseases with dermatological manifestations. Treatment of leprosy has shown excellent results, and it appears to be essentially eliminated. The same cannot be said for Buruli ulcer or yaws, the epidemiology of which remains poorly elucidated. In this context, it was essential to review the situation of these three diseases through a joint survey in the health districts bordering the Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and the irrigated areas around the dams of Kompienga and Bagré. Our team led a disease survey in these irrigated areas, and we report the results. Objectives: To determine the current scale of the Buruli ulcer, leprosy, and yaws in the irrigated areas around these two dams and to formulate recommendations. Methods: This single-pass survey from April 10-18 was a transverse descriptive study, with sampling based on proximity to the dams. Results: Overall, 1482 people were consulted. Among them, 413 (27.9%) presented dermatosis, distributed as follows: 28 suspected cases of yaws (6.8%), 7 suspected cases of Buruli ulcer (1.7%), 1 case of multibacillary leprosy (0.24%) in an 8-year-old girl, and 377 cases of other dermatoses, dominated by those of fungal origin. Conclusion: A large-scale investigation including all other irrigated areas might make it possible to understand the real situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many non-human primate species in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue , the bacterium causing yaws in humans. In humans, yaws is often characterized by lesions of the extremities and face, while T. pallidum subsp. pallidum causes venereal syphilis and is typically characterized by primary lesions on the genital, anal or oral mucosae. It remains unclear whether other T. pallidum subspecies found in humans also occur in non-human primates and how the genomic diversity of non-human primate T. pallidum subsp. pertenue lineages is distributed across hosts and space. We observed orofacial and genital lesions in sooty mangabeys ( Cercocebus atys ) in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire and collected swabs and biopsies from symptomatic animals. We also collected non-human primate bones from 8 species in Taï National Park and 16 species from 11 other sites across sub-Saharan Africa. Samples were screened for T. pallidum DNA using polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and we used in-solution hybridization capture to sequence T. pallidum genomes. We generated three nearly complete T. pallidum genomes from biopsies and swabs and detected treponemal DNA in bones of six non-human primate species in five countries, allowing us to reconstruct three partial genomes. Phylogenomic analyses revealed that both orofacial and genital lesions in sooty mangabeys from Taï National Park were caused by T. pallidum subsp. pertenue . We showed that T. pallidum subsp. pertenue has infected non-human primates in Taï National Park for at least 28 years and has been present in two non-human primate species that had not been described as T. pallidum subsp. pertenue hosts in this ecosystem, western chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus ) and western red colobus ( Piliocolobus badius ), complementing clinical evidence that started accumulating in Taï National Park in 2014. More broadly, simian T. pallidum subsp. pertenue strains did not form monophyletic clades based on host species or the symptoms caused, but rather clustered based on geography. Geographical clustering of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue genomes might be compatible with cross-species transmission of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue within ecosystems or environmental exposure, leading to the acquisition of closely related strains. Finally, we found no evidence for mutations that confer antimicrobial resistance.

Burkina Faso shares its borders with six countries that regularly report cases of Buruli ulcer, yaws, and leprosy (Hansen disease), three neglected tropical diseases with dermatological manifestations. Treatment of leprosy has shown excellent results, and it appears to be essentially eliminated. The same cannot be said for Buruli ulcer or yaws, the epidemiology of which remains poorly elucidated. In this context, it was essential to review the situation of these three diseases through a joint survey in the health districts bordering the Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and the irrigated areas around the dams of Kompienga and Bagré. Our team led a disease survey in these irrigated areas, and we report the results. To determine the current scale of the Buruli ulcer, leprosy, and yaws in the irrigated areas around these two dams and to formulate recommendations. This single-pass survey from April 10-18 was a transverse descriptive study, with sampling based on proximity to the dams. Overall, 1482 people were consulted. Among them, 413 (27.9%) presented dermatosis, distributed as follows: 28 suspected cases of yaws (6.8%), 7 suspected cases of Buruli ulcer (1.7%), 1 case of multibacillary leprosy (0.24%) in an 8-year-old girl, and 377 cases of other dermatoses, dominated by those of fungal origin. A large-scale investigation including all other irrigated areas might make it possible to understand the real situation.

Goal: The aim of this work is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of yaws in Côte d'Ivoire from 2001 to 2011, by data from the routine health information system., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from available health statistics from 2001 to 2011., Results: From 2001 to 2006, the completeness of the regional health statistics was below 50%, while afterwards it exceeded 70% in all regions. The incidence rate of yaws in hospitals has declined from 44 to 14.8 per 100 000 population from 2002 to 2011. Two regional offices still reported highly endemic areas rates, four times higher than the national incidence., Conclusion: It appears that the action of donors has helped to improve the performance of the routine health information system in Côte d'Ivoire. Additionally, yaws remains endemic. The reduced incidence in hospitals is probably due to the reduction in their use by the population; the real population incidence is undoubtedly higher. A seroprevalence survey would make it possible to focus more accurately the upcoming mass treatment campaigns, under the aegis of WHO, to eradicate yaws.