Important Facts you Need to Know about Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a deadly flu like disease which spreads due to the bite of mosquitoes. The yellow fever virus is one of the viral hemorrhagic fevers, which may lead to fever and hemorrhaging. It isn’t curable but you can prevent this deadly disease by taking yellow fever shots from a recognized travel clinic.

Below given are some facts about yellow facts to get you started –

• Yellow fever spread through the bite of infested mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti is the main vector for yellow fever. However, the fever spreads through other mosquitoes as well such as tiger mosquito. 
• Yellow fever virus has three transmission cycles: jungle, intermediate and urban. 
• Yellow fever is a serious illness. Upto half of the people who develop serious illness from yellow fever die within 10-14 days. 
• Yellow fever begins after an incubation period of 3-6 days. The symptoms of yellow fever may vary. Some people just have flu like symptoms, and others can have serious issues like jaundice, bleeding and organ failure. 
• About 85% of cases recover without any progression in 3-4 days. 
• There is no specific cure for yellow fever. Prevention is the best cure for yellow fever. The treatment focuses on relieving symptoms. 
• Yellow fever affects 45 countries and as per WHO, there are around 200,00 cases which causes 30,000 deaths a year. 

Facts about the prevention of the yellow fever

The main mean of protection against the disease is yellow fever shots.

• Yellow fever shot is given via subcutaneous injection. 
• Yellow fever vaccine is also called 17D vaccine because it contains the 17D strain of yellow fever. 
• The yellow fever shots are quite safe and offer 90% of people with immediate immunity against the disease 
• Boosters of the yellow fever vaccines are suggested every decade 
• The vaccine is recommended for individuals of nine months or older when they are traveling to a country where yellow fever is common. 
• There are no as such side effects of yellow fever vaccine. The mild effects include low fever, headache or mild muscle ache. 
• The vaccination can only be transmitted at yellow fever centers like travel clinics. 
• The vaccination should be given 10 days or more before traveling to yellow fever risk areas 
• Yellow fever vaccines should not be given to infants of six months of age or younger, HIV sufferers and people with primary immuno deficiencies. 

The above given facts might have given you some advice about the deadly disease. Always check your vaccination requirements or recommendations before traveling. Do get yellow fever shots from a recognized travel clinic before traveling to high risk areas.