Pinta is a neglected, chronic skin disease that was first described in the sixteenth century in Mexico. The World Health Organization lists 15 countries in Latin America where pinta was previously endemic. However, the current prevalence of pinta is unknown due to the lack of surveillance data. The etiological agent of pinta, Treponema carateum, cannot be distinguished morphologically or serologically from the not-yet-cultivable Treponema pallidum subspecies that cause venereal syphilis, yaws, and bejel. Although genomic sequencing has enabled the development of molecular techniques to differentiate the T. pallidum subspecies, comparable information is not available for T. carateum. Because of the influx of migrants and refugees from Latin America, U.S. physicians should consider pinta in the differential diagnosis of skin diseases in children and adolescents who come from areas where pinta was previously endemic and have a positive reaction in serological tests for syphilis. All stages of pinta are treatable with a single intramuscular injection of penicillin.

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genetics differential diagnosis South and Central America Latin America sexual behavior human Neglected Diseases nonhuman Humans azithromycin classification Penicillin G Benzathine Pinta depigmentation bejel Review yaws treponematosis benzathine penicillin Syphilis serodiagnosis prevalence isolation and purification penicillin derivative tropic climate Phylogeny serology skin pigmentation microbiology world health organization Treponema pallidum single drug dose antiinfective agent Anti-Bacterial Agents spirochete pathogenicity Treponema