yaws
/jɔːz
/plural noun [treated as singular]
A contagious disease of tropical countries, caused by a bacterium that enters skin abrasions and gives rise to small crusted lesions which may develop into deep ulcers. Also called framboesia.
- The bacterium is the spirochaete Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue.
- Salversan also proved effective against other maladies such as yaws.
- And that was the area of some of the first campaigns, the mass campaigns for penicillin, the yaws eradication.
Origin
Late 17th century: probably from Carib yaya, from a South American Indian language.