Clinical aspects and usefulness of indirect absorbed immunofluorescence for diagnosis of yaws in Central Africa.

The incidence of yaws in 533 pygmies from the Central African Republic was surveyed. It appeared that there is still an impressive incidence of yaws in pygmy children who have poor hygiene. Laboratory investigations showed that the Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay is often negative during the first stage of the disease, while the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test is positive and, thus, more sensitive.