Not So Mellow Yellow: Why You Should be Vaccinated for Yellow Fever

Along with sensitive bites and a talent for spreading infectious diseases, yellow fever provides just one more reason to hate mosquitoes. Once bitten by an infected mosquito, a human being can experience symptoms ranging from a headache to significant hemorrhaging. Fortunately, there are two effective lines of defense against the disease: awareness and prevention. Read on to better arm yourself against yellow fever, and to determine whether or not you are a candidate for vaccination.

Yellow Fever Vaccine: A Medical Gift to the Intrepid Traveler

Headed to Africa or South America? The tropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America have the highest rate of yellow fever infection in the world. While there are undoubtedly certain locations with a lesser likelihood of exposure or a lower number of reported cases, vaccination is the only means of definitively protecting yourself while traveling in these areas.

It takes 10 to 14 days for the vaccine to become fully effective, so it is essential that you schedule your vaccination well before you enter a high-risk region.

Avoiding a Slew of Unpleasant (Potentially Life-threatening) Symptoms

Yellow fever progresses in three phases, with symptoms becoming more serious over time.

The first three to six days after exposure to the virus constitute the incubation period. No symptoms occur during this time, rendering the virus that much more illusory and difficult to treat in a promptly manner.

The second stage of yellow fever, known as the acute phase, is when the trouble really begins. Achiness, loss of appetite, nausea, dizziness, and as the name suggests, fever, comprise the most common symptoms seen during the acute phase. These signs typically last a few days, and often clear up before yellow fever moves into its most severe phase.

Unpleasant as these symptoms are, their seriousness pales in comparison to the virus’ third stage, known as the toxic phase. Upon entering into the toxic phase, a number of the symptoms from the acute phase recur with even greater intensity. This resurgence is coupled with the appearance of more extreme and potentially life-threatening symptoms, including jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, usually related to liver and kidney dysfunction or failure), abdominal pain and vomiting, bleeding from the nose, mouth, and eyes, heart irregularity, and brain dysfunction.

Prevention and Treatment

You should seek medical care at the first sign of symptoms. Unfortunately, because yellow fever is a viral disease, treatment cannot eradicate the infection. Rather, treatment consists of combating symptoms as they occur, and ensuring that the body maintains healthy fluid, oxygen, and blood pressure levels. During the toxic phase, kidney dialysis and blood transfusion may be necessary.

Yellow fever is fatal in 20 to 50 percent of cases, with a likelihood of death increasing in older adults. Nevertheless, everyone is equally susceptible to the virus when entering into high-risk areas. Due to the viral character of the disease, the best approach is prevention – a simple yellow fever vaccination at a certified travel clinic– rather than treatment after exposure.