Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that occurs
mainly in the tropics.
Yellow fever occurs only in the tropical areas of Central
Africa, southern Panama, and South America.
Some people with yellow fever have no or mild symptoms, but
others have more severe symptoms such as yellow skin (jaundice), fever,
headache, muscle aches, and bleeding.
Doctors diagnose yellow fever by growing (culturing) the
virus, by doing blood tests to detect antibodies to the virus, or by using
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to help identify the virus's genetic
material.
A vaccine is available for use by people residing in endemic
countries and for travelers to areas where yellow fever is common, but avoiding
mosquito bites is also important.
Treatment is mainly supportive and includes drugs to treat
or prevent bleeding.
Yellow fever is caused by a flavivirus that is spread by
mosquitoes.
Yellow fever is one of the most easily recognized and
historically important viral infections. In the past, major epidemics of yellow
fever caused tens of thousands of deaths. Once common in tropical and temperate
zones around the world, the disease now occurs only in the tropical areas of
Central Africa, southern Panama, and South America. Infection is more common
during hot, rainy, humid months in South America and during the late rainy and
early dry seasons in Africa.
Symptoms of Yellow Fever
Some infected people do not have symptoms. Others have mild
symptoms, and some have a severe, life-threatening illness.
Symptoms of yellow fever usually appear about 3 to 6 days
after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The first symptoms are headache,
dizziness, muscle aches, chills, and mild fever, which begin suddenly. Nausea,
vomiting, constipation, extreme fatigue, irritability, and restlessness are
common. The face is flushed.
All of these symptoms subside after a few days. Some people
then recover, but others develop a high fever, nausea, vomiting, and severe
generalized pain a few hours or days after the initial symptoms subside. The
skin turns yellow (jaundice) because the liver is infected. Often, there is
bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gastrointestinal tract. People may vomit
blood. They may become confused and apathetic.
Some people become delirious. They have very low blood
pressure (shock). Severe infection can cause seizures, malfunction of several
organs, and coma may occur. Up to 50% of people with severe bleeding and fever
die.
Diagnosis of Yellow Fever
Culture or blood tests
Doctors suspect yellow fever when people living in an area
where the infection is common have typical symptoms.
Yellow fever is diagnosed by growing (culturing) the virus
or detecting antibodies to the virus in the blood. Or polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) techniques may be used to make many copies of the virus's genetic
material. This technique enables doctors to rapidly and accurately identify the
virus.
Prevention of Yellow Fever
Prevention of yellow fever involves
Avoiding mosquito bites
Vaccination
Isolation
Avoiding mosquito bites is key to prevention. People who
live in or visit areas where yellow fever is common can
Apply DEET (diethyltoluamide) insect repellant to the skin.
Use mosquito netting.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Stay in places that have air conditioning or that use window
and door screens to keep mosquitoes out.
Treat clothing and gear with permethrin insecticide (do not
apply it directly to the skin).
For children, the following precautions are recommended:
Do not use insect repellent on infants under 2 months old.
Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus
(para-menthane-diol) on children under 3 years old.
For older children, adults should spray repellent on their
own hands and then apply it to the children's skin.
Dress children in clothing that covers their arms and legs,
or cover the crib, stroller, or baby carrier with mosquito netting.
Do not apply insect repellent to the hands, eyes, mouth, or
cut or irritated skin of children.
A vaccine that is 95% effective at preventing yellow fever
is available. People should be given the vaccine at least 10 days before
traveling to a yellow fever endemic country. In the United States, the vaccine
is given only at yellow fever vaccination clinics authorized by the U.S. Public
Health Service. However, there are many such centers (see CDC: Yellow Fever
Vaccination Clinics). Vaccination provides immunity for life.
Many countries require vaccination only for travelers coming
into their country from areas where yellow fever occurs. If people are
traveling to areas where yellow fever is common, they should be vaccinated.
The vaccine is not given to
Pregnant women
Infants under 6 months old
People with a weakened immune system, such as those with
AIDS
If the infection is suspected or diagnosed, people are
isolated in rooms that are screened and sprayed with insecticides to prevent
further spread of the virus by mosquitoes.
Treatment of Yellow Fever
Supportive care
Treatment of yellow fever involves supportive care,
including drugs to treat or prevent bleeding, such as injections of vitamin K
(which can help blood clot).
There is no specific treatment for yellow fever.
- CORONA VIRUS
- MONKEY POX
- VAGINAL DRYNESS
- FIBROID
- INFERTILITY
- OVULATION CYCLE
- OVARIAN CANCER
- VAGINAL BACTERIA
- MALE INFERTILITY
- BEST DAYS OF CONCIEVING
- MUCUS AFTER OVULATION
- FOODS FOR ERECTILE FUNCTIONS
- PREGNANCY ANEMIA
- DO AND DONT DURING PREGNANCY
- ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
- U.T.I IN PREGNANCY
- STROKE RISK
- EAT THIS NOT THAT
- HOOKWORMS INFECTION
- OMEGA 3 BENEFITS
- FASTING
- WEIGHT LOSS TIPS
- vitiligo
- ABORTION
- DENGUE VIRUS
- EBORA VIRUS
- FEVER
- URINARY TRACT INFECTION
- HOSPITAL INFECTIONS
- WEST NILE VIRUS
- YELLOW FEVER
- EYE DISEASE
- ZIKA VIRUS
- STRESS
- IRON DEFFICIENCE
- INSOMNIA (SLEEPING PROBLEMS)
- HEART PROBLEMS
- COMPONENTS OF BLOOD
- BLOOD DISORDER
- LABORATORY TEST OF BLOOD DISORDER
- BONE MARROW EXAMINATION
- BLOOD ANEMIA
- ANIMAL BITES
- EYE BURN
- CHOCKING
- HEAT STROKE
- SMOKE EFFECTS
- SNAKE BITE
- MALARIA VACCINE
- BEST WAY TO SLEEP A CHILD
- CHILD FEVER REDUCING
- ELEPHANTIASIS
- WOMEN BEARDS
- DATES
- PAPAYA FRUITS