Vaccine Research Library » Yellow Fever
Yellow Fever at a glance:
According to the World Health Organization: [1]
- Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The “yellow” in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients.
- Up to 50% of severely affected persons without treatment will die from yellow fever.
- There are an estimated 200 000 cases of yellow fever, causing 30 000 deaths, worldwide each year, with 90% occurring in Africa.
- The virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America, with a combined population of over 900 million people.
- The number of yellow fever cases has increased over the past two decades due to declining population immunity to infection, deforestation, urbanization, population movements and climate change.
- There is no specific treatment for yellow fever. Treatment is symptomatic, aimed at reducing the symptoms for the comfort of the patient.
Why should I be concerned?
- The yellow fever vaccine has been linked to serious negative effects including anaphylaxis and death.
1. World Health Organization: Yellow Fever