yellow fever

see also:

• travel medicine
• viruses
• WHO fact sheet

• occurs in urban and rural areas of Africa and central South America
• caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus
• monkeys are the main reservoir but mosquitoes can spread it from human to human
• the highest risk for YFV transmission is during the day and early evening
• a vaccine to prevent it is available

• most are asymptomatic

• fever, muscular pain, headache, chills, anorexia, nausea and/or vomiting, often with bradycardia

• 15% of patients progress to a second phase after a few days
• resurgence of fever, development of jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and haemorrhagic manifestations
• up to half of these patients die 10–14 days after the onset of illness