Epidemiology of yaws in the Solomon Islands and the impact of a trachoma control programme

Yaws is an endemic treponemal infection caused by Treponema pallidum pertunae which causes skin lesions, arthalgias and bone swelling. The seroprevalence in the Pacific region is approximately 10% with 90% of cases occurring in children. Oral azithromycin has been adopted as a central pillar of the WHO yaws eradication programme but a lower dose of azithromycin is recommended by WHO for use in mass-drug administration programmes for trachoma, which is co-endemic with yaws in the Solomon Islands. This project aimed to explore the epidemiology of yaws in the Solomon Islands and examine the impact of community mass treatment with low-dose azithromycin on transmission of yaws. The study combined field epidemiology, before and after mass drug administration, with modelling studies and evaluations of diagnostic tests. Overall the project aimed to provide data to support the WHO Yaws eradication strategy.