Doctors looked at how different medicine plans helped stop yaws in Papua New Guinea. They compared giving four drugs at once to just watching people without treatment. The four drugs included azithromycin, ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole. This plan worked very well in two provinces of the country.
After taking the four drugs, people had about 41 percent fewer visits for yaws. This good result lasted for at least six months. The number of visits for other skin problems also went down by 33 percent. This means the treatment helped many people feel better and stop spreading the disease.
When people took azithromycin three times, they had much lower chances of still having active yaws. Even taking it just once helped reduce the risk of getting sick again. No serious side effects were found, and most people could take the medicines safely.
This study helps health workers decide how to stop yaws in places where it is still common. Using the right mix of medicines can protect communities and keep the disease from coming back.