Yellow fever is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes that can cause fever, chills, vomiting, and jaundice. It can lead to organ failure and is fatal in about half of cases. The disease is common in Africa and South America, and travelers to these areas are encouraged to get vaccinated and take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Yellow fever is a disease transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. The effects of yellow fever on the human body usually include fever, chills and vomiting. Some people also experience back pain and headaches. Dehydration is one of the biggest dangers associated with yellow fever, but other life-threatening effects of yellow fever sometimes occur. In severe cases, people may have failure of major body organs, such as the liver or kidneys.
Even in the mildest cases of yellow fever, some liver function is impaired. This often leads to a condition called jaundice. When the liver is not working properly, there are usually high levels of a chemical called bilirubin in the bloodstream. When people have jaundice, the white surrounding the iris of the eye tends to turn yellowish, as does the skin. Yellow fever is believed to have gotten its name from the yellow skin and eyes of people who have the disease.
People generally start showing the effects of yellow fever about a week after being infected. There is no known cure for the disease, and since it is a virus, the immune system does most of the work to fight it off. About half of people who get yellow fever do not survive, but the survival rate is much better in people who are healthy at the time they get the disease. If yellow fever victims are recovering, they typically do so in about 14 days. Many people who recover from yellow fever experience muscle weakness and general fatigue for several weeks after recovering from the worst symptoms of the disease.
Yellow fever is transmitted by a mosquito called Aedes aegypti. The mosquito bites people infected with the virus and then in turn spreads the virus to others it bites. The disease is common in Africa and parts of South America, but extremely rare in other parts of the world. The last yellow fever outbreak in the United States occurred in Louisiana in 1905.
People traveling to South America and Africa from other parts of the world are encouraged to get vaccinated against yellow fever. The rarity of yellow fever in other parts of the world means that the vaccine is not a typical part of most countries’ immunization programs, however, it is usually available upon request. Additionally, travelers are advised to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves if traveling to an area where yellow fever is endemic. Travelers who start experiencing any of the effects of yellow fever should contact a local hospital immediately.
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