An endemic bacterial infection caused by Treponema carateum. It is manifested with chronic cutaneous lesions. The early lesions consist of papules and erythematous plaques. The late lesions consist of hypochromic, achromic, hyperpigmented and atrophic lesions. The late skin lesions may cause destruction of bones and cartilage and produce disfiguring changes
Symptoms of Pinta
The following features are indicative of Pinta:
small, reddish and itchy papules on exposed areas of the arms and legs
secondary skin eruptions or pintids
local lymph nodes might be enlarged
It is possible that Pinta shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.
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Common Causes of Pinta
The following are the most common causes of Pinta:
Treponema carateum infection
Risk Factors for Pinta
The following factors may increase the likelihood of Pinta:
southern mexican population
central american population
south american population
Prevention of Pinta
Yes, it may be possible to prevent Pinta. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
avoiding contact with the skin of an infected person
Occurrence of Pinta
Number of Cases
The following are the number of Pinta cases seen each year worldwide:
Extremely rare less than 1000 cases
Common Age Group
Pinta can occur at any age.
Common Gender
Pinta can occur in any gender.
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Pinta
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Pinta:
Microscopic examination of tissue samples: The spirochetes can be seen on dark field microscopy of samples taken from the early papules
Blood tests: Including VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test) and Treponemal antibody absorption test usually become positive only after the secondary skin lesions appear
Doctor for Diagnosis of Pinta
Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Pinta:
Infectious Disease Specialist
Complications of Pinta if untreated
Yes, Pinta causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Pinta is left untreated:
dry, wrinkled thin skin
Time for Treatment of Pinta
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Pinta to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
In 6 months - 1 year
Is Pinta Infectious?
Yes, Pinta is known to be infectious. It can spread across people via the following means:
any close contact (nonsexual) with the skin of an infected person