Yellow fever
What is yellow fever and how serious can it be?
Yellow fever is a viral infection that is passed to humans by day time biting Aedes mosquitoes. It is called yellow fever because one of the symptoms is jaundice, which can make the skin and whites of the eyes appear yellow. In the past yellow fever was an important tropical disease. Yellow fever epidemics decimated armies and had a huge impact on American ports like Philadelphia, New Orleans and Memphis. Some people call yellow fever ‘American Plague’.
Yellow fever can cause severe illness and death. The World Health Organisation estimates that the disease kills 30,000 people every year. Yellow fever has a constant presence in tropical areas of Africa and the Americas. It can be caught in jungle or urban areas.
It is taken very seriously and some countries will not let you in without a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Whether you need a yellow fever certificate can also depend on the countries you have visited in the last six days, so it is always wise to get expert advice that is specific to your own travel plans.
Yellow fever symptoms?
Three to six days after a person has become infected they can develop symptoms of:
Phase 1 - the ‘acute’ phase
- Temperature over 38°C or 100.4°F
- Muscle pain, especially backache
- Headache
- Shivers
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea/vomiting
- After 3-4 days most patients improve and their symptoms disappear
Approximately 15% will then go on to phase 2 – the ‘toxic’ phase
- Fever re-appears
- Jaundice
- Stomach pain and sickness
- Bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes or stomach
There is no specific treatment for yellow fever. Infected people must be admitted to hospital to have their symptoms treated. Unfortunately half of the patients who enter the ‘toxic’ phase die within 10-14 days. Protection from mosquito bites during the daytime and vaccination are important ways to reduce the risk.
What to do if you are worried that you’ve got yellow fever
You should seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of yellow fever. Symptoms are similar to other tropical diseases so should always be investigated by a healthcare professional.
Following MASTA nurse advice
If a MASTA nurse has told you that yellow fever vaccination is mandatory or recommended for you, there is no doubt that your travel plans put you at-risk from yellow fever or that you need proof of vaccination to enter your destination country.
If they say you should consider yellow fever vaccination you need to weigh-up the risk and cost of the vaccine against the potential risk of yellow fever. Many people prefer to take no chances with their health.
MASTA nurse advice is based on:
- Up-to-date information on whether yellow fever is a problem in the place you are travelling to, or whether you require a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter the country
- Your chance of coming into contact with yellow fever
- The medical facilities available if you were to become infected
- The duration of your stay
All travel vaccination recommendations can change because of disease outbreaks and seasonal variations but MASTA nurses have access to daily updates and are specialists in travel health services.
Arrange your yellow fever vaccinations a couple of weeks before you travel
You should have your yellow fever vaccination at least ten days before travelling to a yellow fever area to allow your immunity to develop and for the International Certificate of Vaccination (if required) to become valid.
If you have made your travel plans late and have less than ten days before you travel, contact your MASTA Travel Clinic immediately. Vaccination may still be worthwhile depending on your plans and length of stay.
Yellow fever vaccination can only be given in designated yellow fever vaccination centres. MASTA clinics are all authorised to give yellow fever vaccinations. The vaccination for yellow fever has been in use for over 50 years and generally it is well tolerated. Typical reactions include pain at the injection site, mild temperature and headache/muscle pain.
However, there have been some very rare but serious reactions reported. Severe reactions involving multiple organs of the body are estimated to occur in 1 in every 200,000 people receiving the vaccine for the first time. The risk is higher in travellers over 60 years of age receiving the vaccine for the fi rst time (5 in 200,000). MASTA Nurse Experts are trained in assessing the risk to each individual traveller. If it is not appropriate for you to have the vaccination, you can be issued with a medical letter of exemption.