YELLOW FEVER

Jan. 22, 2019

The death of Professor Martin Gore, 67, a renowned cancer specialist in the UK has shocked the medical fraternity because it came after a routine yellow fever vaccination. It re-ignited a controversy over vaccines around the world.

About:

Nomenclature: Yellow fever is often associated with jaundice, hence the name yellow.
Endemic countries: to WHO, Yellow fever occurs in 47 endemic countries in Africa in Central and South America. Around 90% of cases reported every year occur in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Transmission:
- The yellow fever virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, most commonly from the Aedes species – the same mosquito that spreads the Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue virus. Haemogogus mosquitoes also spread it and are mostly found in the jungle.
- The disease cannot be spread by contact from one person to another.
Symptoms: Once contracted, the yellow fever virus incubates in the body for 3 to 6 days. Symptoms usually present themselves in 2 phases.
- The first, "acute", phase usually causes fever, muscle pain or vomiting. Most patients improve and their symptoms disappear after 3 to 4 days.
- However, a small percentage of people enter a second, more toxic phase within 24 hours of the initial remission. They will experience high fever, JAUNDICE, and abdominal pain with vomiting and deteriorating kidney function.
Prevention and Treatment:
- Yellow fever can be prevented by a vaccine that is protective for life. As single dose of yellow fever vaccine, known as 17D, provides life-long immunity against the disease.
- There is no specific treatment for yellow fever but good supportive treatment of symptoms, such as dehydration, fever and infection, improves survival rates. Associated bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics.