Report of the Regional Meeting on the Eradication of Yaws. 1–3 March 2023

Abstract

Yaws is a neglected infectious disease that affects populations living in rural areas far from health services. Poverty, low socio-economic conditions, and poor personal hygiene facilitate the spread of yaws. It is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue, is transmitted by skin contact, and is targeted for eradication by 2030. Report of Yaws cases has decreased remarkably after 1970 in the Region of the Americas. However, in many countries, epidemiological surveillance, which is key to detecting and responding to a possible resurgence of the disease and to certifying the interruption of the transmission, stopped after 1970. To forward the regional agenda towards completing the process to certify the interruption of Yaws transmission, countries in the Americas should start reviewing and documenting the current epidemiological situation of the disease and compile the evidence to confirm whether the interruption of transmission has occurred. This report presents the summary of the discussions and recommendations given to 13 participating countries in a meeting held in March 2023 on the main actions to progress towards confirming the interruption of Yaws transmission in the Region of the Americas.