Yellow Fever - What travelers should know?

Risk of Yellow Fever

Yellow fever can be defined as a hemorrhagic condition that can have a lethal impact on the body. This medical condition can lead to soring fever, body chills, and internal skin bleeding. Yellow fever can lead to dell death in the kidneys and the liver respectively. Liver damage can occur when the liver cells die in the body which is a serious condition. A person is at risk of yellow fever when traveling to a yellow fever prone area. Yellow fever can be easily spread by the bite of animals or by the consumption of infected water. Liver damage can lead to jaundice. It is recommended to visit a Walk in clinic if you experience the signs and symptoms associated with yellow fever. 

 Precautions

There are certain precautionary measures that you can take to prevent the development of yellow fever. The most effective method is to get a yellow fever vaccination from urgent care clinics. An individual traveling to a yellow fever prone area should first research about the chances of getting exposed to this lethal ailment. A person should take the vaccine 10-14 days prior to travel. There are certain countries where taking the yellow fever shot is compulsory before traveling. You may have to produce a valid immunization certificate. A single yellow fever shot will immunize you for a minimum of 10 years. However, there are certain side-effects associated with yellow fever shots, namely:

• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Headaches
• Sore injection site
• Low-grade fever
• Encephalitis

Make sure that you get immunized against yellow fever from a travel clinic or a walk-in clinic as per requirement. 

Reasons for Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is caused by a type of flavivirus. It can be easily transmitted by the bite of a mosquito namely, Aedes Aegypti. The mosquito can become infected by biting a monkey or an infected human being. The infected mosquito is the source of further spreading the infection. Once the mosquito is infected, it remains infected for the rest of its life span. 

 

Other than the mosquito, other methods of acquiring this infection are from humans and primates. 

An individual traveling overseas where yellow fever is prevalent is at a high risk of acquiring it. The travelers must check if the area that they are traveling to requires a yellow fever shot or not. 

Why we should take care of this at Urgent basis?

If not taken care of, yellow fever can have serious life-threatening repercussions. When suffering from yellow fever,  it is recommended to visit a walk-in clinic as soon as possible to start the treatment on an urgent basis. Yellow fever, if left untreated, will kill the liver and kidney cells and make the liver weak. This can also lead to heart failure. An individual might develop a yellow tint on the body as a result of yellow fever. With the help of proper medication and diet, yellow fever can be effectively treated. 

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Everything You Need To Know About Yellow Fever

 A Brief Guide On The Yellow Fever Shots:

Are you traveling overseas to spend your vacation by the beaches? But are you aware of the fact that while traveling overseas you are prone to various diseases such as yellow fever and various other harmful infections?

As a matter of fact, you obviously do not want to fall sick while on vacation. It is therefore recommended to get immunized by taking travel shots for yellow fever prior to traveling.

Yellow fever is an ailment that causes high fever and kidney and liver cell death. A person starts to experience internal skin bleeding if exposed to this disease. If the cell damage is too much, you can experience serious liver damage that can cause jaundice. This is a condition in which the skin develops a yellow tint. Before traveling, it is recommended that you visit a Travel Clinic and get immunized.

The disease yellow fever impacts the functioning of the whole body. It is caused when the body is exposed to the Flavi virus. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito and the Haemagogus species.

Some facts on yellow fever

Below mentioned are some quick facts about yellow fever.

1. Yellow fever can lead to organ damage
2. It is spread by mosquito bites
3. You can experience high fever
4. Travelers must check if they need yellow fever shots.
5. Various countries will not allow the traveler to enter the country without getting yellow fever vaccines. 

How is yellow fever spread?

Yellow fever is spread by the bite of the aedes mosquito. If a person is traveling to a yellow fever prone area, they can get exposed to yellow fever if they haven’t been immunized. It is a fact that if you have yellow fever once, you are not likely to develop it again. 

What are the Symptoms of yellow fever?

The symptoms of yellow fever are very mild initially. If not treated on time, it can be fatal. The signs can start reflecting between 3-6 days of acquiring the infection. The symptoms of yellow fever can be categorized into two subheads, namely:

• Acute symptoms:
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Muscle ache
  • Appetite loss
  • Nausea
  • Body chills
  • dizziness

• Severe symptoms:
  • Pain in the abdomen
  • Lethargy
  • Liver failure
  • High fever
  • Vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Nose bleeding
  • Irregular heartbeat

Diagnosis of yellow fever

The doctor will run a few tests and after that the yellow fever diagnosis will be confirmed. It is important to conduct a blood test as the symptoms for various other ailments are similar.
With the help of a blood test, the virus responsible for the ailment can be easily detected. After which you can seek medical attention.

Make sure that before traveling to yellow fever prone areas, you get immunized by visiting a travel clinic and getting travel shots in NY.

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The Most Important Travel Vaccines

From malaria to bird flu, travelers are exposed to many severe diseases around the globe. Thus it is better to be prepared than scared.

Beyond popping the necessary dose of multivitamins and keeping a sanitizer before boarding a plane, travelers must get the travel vaccines in NY that are suggested or needed for entering certain countries.

To protect yourself and others from international maladies, make sure you’re up to date on immunizations you will need before your next adventure.

Travel Immunizations in NYC: Overview

It’s important to note — take care of immunizations as soon as possible! Many vaccinations require several days or weeks to take effect; you will want to anticipate any “holding period” well before you have to travel. The CDC recommends that travelers visit their doctor four to six weeks before an international trip.

Epidemics and illness abroad are constantly changing. The best online resource for overseas health is a Centers for Disease Control’s Travel Information website. We will provide you with an overview of immunizations, but be sure to check the CDC website for the latest up-to-date information on international health. 

Mentioned below are some of the common vaccinations and booster requirements

• Tetanus/Diphtheria: Boosters every 10 years.
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella: If born after 1957, one dose of each; if given after 1967, the vaccination is good for life.
• Polio: If immunized, get a booster before traveling abroad.
• Yellow Fever: Immunization valid for 10 years.

If you cannot receive a required vaccination for health reasons, you should carry an official note from your doctor verifying the condition.

If you need to get a vaccination while traveling, note that some immunization clinics in developing countries may be unsanitary. In some cases, clinics may use the same needle repeatedly. If conditions appear suspect, check with your embassy for recommendations on acceptable clinics.

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How to protect yourself from contracting Hepatitis A while abroad?

Over the last few years, the number of people getting infected with hepatitis A in the United States has dropped tremendously by 95%. All thanks to the Hepatitis A vaccine. However, it is still a common illness in other developing countries.

If you’re planning a trip to any developing countries, prepare your to-do-checklist few months before boarding. This involves booking tickets and hotel, carrying travel essentials, and considering health risks associated with the place you’re traveling to.

Being in a developing country, you’ll become susceptible in contracting hepatitis A. It is a viral infection that usually affects liver with mild to severe symptoms, and even death in some cases. Hepatitis A is transferred through the ingestion of contaminated water and food. Therefore, to keep yourself protected from Hepatitis A, it is important to get the right vaccine a few weeks before your travel.

Your risk of developing hepatitis A

Although you can contract hepatitis A virus in the United States, the risk is more in the developing countries. Especially the countries lacking quality sanitary conditions. Did you know nearly 90% of children under 10 years have been infected with hepatitis A in developing countries?

The common symptoms of hepatitis A include:

• Fever
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Nausea
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Dark-colored urine
  
• Abdominal discomfort
  
• And jaundice
  

The incubation period for these symptoms to develop is usually between 14 and 28 days. Once you contract hepatitis A, there is no specific treatment for the illness. Thus, getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from hepatitis A.

Tips to avoid and stay safe from hepatitis A

While hepatitis A virus is life-threatening, most people can recover from the illness with a lifetime immunity. However, there are various precautionary measures that will help you stay out of harm. 

If you are abroad, especially in one of the developing countries, make sure you drink clean water and food. Plus, having knowledge about food safety is the simplest way to reduce the risk. Washing your hands before eating and after going to the toilet as well as getting vaccinated are another important effective measure.

Hepatitis A vaccine is a proven way to protect yourself from contracting HAV. Almost 100% of people who get the vaccine develop protective preventive agents to the HAV - hepatitis A virus. According to health experts, each person traveling to a developing country must be injected with two shots of vaccine with a gap of six months for long-lasting protection. 

When it comes to hepatitis A vaccines, they were introduced to the United States in the year, 1996. And since then, the United States has encountered reduced number of hepatitis A cases. 

Apart from the United States, there are many nations that encounter fewer cases of hepatitis A virus. As per the centers for disease control and prevention, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Western Europe are among the safest regions for hepatitis. 

If you’re traveling to any foreign countries, make sure you get all the information about the region, such as the weather conditions, common diseases, and outbreaks. And accordingly get yourself vaccinated to have a safe and disease-free trip. 

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Budget-Friendly Vaccination Tips For Travelers

Want to stay healthy when traveling to a foreign destination? Getting travel vaccinations to safeguard your health is the easiest thing that you can do. It is your responsibility to take essential steps in order to stay healthy and fit when traveling. After all, you want to have fun and make beautiful memories instead of falling sick and making it the worst travel experience.

However, unfortunately, travel vaccines are not covered under the government health insurance in North America. Thus, you have to bare the cost of travel vaccinations. However, there are a few ways to save money on travel vaccines. You can get travel vaccinations at affordable prices at your family physician’s clinic or the travel clinic in addition to a certain amount of consultation fees.

While traveling, you might get exposed to a number of health risks and ailments. However, not every health risk is life-threatening for a traveler. The best way of cutting down on vaccination costs when traveling is to consult the health practitioner to select appropriate vaccines that are affordable and serve the purpose of protecting your health on foreign lands.

Ask the following questions to your healthcare professional for cost management and preventive care.

What are my chances of getting exposed to a disease in a different country?

You can search about the current epidemic situation at the place of your destination. In certain areas, the weather conditions play a major role in determining the seriousness of the disease and which vaccination you must take. Going by an example, if you are traveling to temperate regions, you might get exposed to Japanese encephalitis. Your physician will recommend you to take Japanese encephalitis vaccine in such a case.

 

Will the duration of my trip matter?

The longer you are traveling, the longer you will be exposed to diseases and ailments. If you go hiking for 4 weeks, you will be exposed to the danger of developing rabies. It is thus recommended to take the rabies vaccination when traveling to such areas or performing such activities in a foreign land.

Can I prevent illness exposure without the travel shots?

By taking certain preventive care initiatives such as washing hands, eating clean and healthy, drinking clean water, and using nets and repellents, you can reduce your chances of becoming ill when traveling.

It is highly recommended to consult your doctor first before you decide on skipping the travel vaccinations.

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