Frambesia is an infectious disease that affects the skin, cartilage and bones. It is caused by the bacterium Treponema pertenue. This is a subspecies of spirochetes belonging to the same species as Treponema pallidum – a pale spirochete, the causative agent of a sexually transmitted disease – syphilis. But unlike the latter, frambesia is not sexually transmitted, therefore it is sometimes called a form of non-venereal syphilis and is assigned to the group of treponematoses.
This disease is characteristic of tropical countries with a humid, hot climate, therefore its other name is tropical syphilis. Frambesia is also known as pian, tropical granuloma, tropical polypapilloma. Continue reading