A non-venereal form of syphilis which is endemic among children in some areas of the Middle East and elsewhere and is caused by a spirochaete strain of bacteria.
Chronic, nonvenereal form of syphilis, caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, widespread in the Middle East and northern Africa, most commonly among children and their family members. Lesions in the mourn region spread to other areas of the body. Treatment is by penicillin.
A long-lasting nonvenereal form of syphilis that occurs in the Balkans, Turkey, eastern Mediterranean countries, and the dry savannah regions of North Africa; it is particularly prevalent where standards of personal hygiene are low. The disease is spread among children and adults by direct body contact. Early skin lesions are obvious in the moist areas of the body (mouth, armpits, and groin) and later there may be considerable destruction of the tissues of the skin, nasopharynx, and long bones. Wart-like eruptions in the anal and genital regions are common. Bejel, which is rarely fatal, is treated with penicillin.
A nonvenereal form of syphilis endemic in Central and Western Africa and Eastern Mediterranean countries; children are especially susceptible.