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Living > Public Health, Safety

Yellow Fever

Before departure, you should learn about the health conditions in the country or countries you plan to visit, your own risk of disease and the steps you can take to prevent illness by visiting a travel health clinic or a physician.

Yellow fever is a viral disease that is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Illness from this disease can range from mild, such as influenza-like syndrome, to severe, such as hepatitis or hemorrhagic fever.

How is it spread?

Yellow fever is spread to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes from a variety of species. These mosquitoes are day-time biters.

Symptoms

Some infected individuals have no symptoms. When they do occur, symptoms take 3 to 6 days to appear and range from self-limiting fever to sudden onset of fever with chills, headache, muscle pain (back pain), loss of appetite, nausea and/or vomiting. In severe cases, yellow fever can lead to shock, bleeding, organ failure, jaundice (i.e. yellowing of skin and eyes) and death.

There is no specific treatment for yellow fever. The overall case-fatality rate may reach 20% - 40% in single outbreaks. Deaths from yellow fever have been reported among unvaccinated travellers.

What countries is Yellow fever found?

Yellow fever is constantly present (i.e., endemic) in many tropical areas of South America and Africa. From time to time in endemic areas, the number of yellow fever cases can increase dramatically to the epidemic level. For the most part, yellow fever transmission is restricted to rural and jungle areas.

Prevention and Personal Precautions

Vaccination is the single most important measure for preventing yellow fever. The vaccination is available only at designated Yellow Fever Centres. Currently, Niagara Region only has one centre through the Niagara Region Public Health Department.

Yellow Fever CertUnder the World Health Organization's International Health Regulations, a yellow fever vaccination certificate (i.e., International Certificate of Vaccination) may be required during international travel at border crossings. Some countries require all arriving travellers to show proof of yellow fever vaccination, while other countries require some travellers arriving or in transit from countries where yellow fever occurs to show proof of vaccination.

In order for the International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever to be considered valid, it must indicate that the individual was vaccinated at least 10 days prior to the date of entry to the country that requires proof of vaccination.

The following personal precautions may reduce the risk of exposure to day-time biting mosquitoes:

  • remain in well-screened or completely enclosed, air-conditioned areas;
  • wear light-coloured clothing with full-length pant legs and sleeves; and
  • use insect repellent containing DEET on exposed skin (apply repellent with 10% or less DEET no more than once per day for children 6 months - 2 years; 10% or less DEET no more than three times per day for children 2-12 years; and 30% DEET for individuals older than 12 years. Wash off daily with soap and water).

This information is intended to provide general health-related information about yellow fever. It is not intended to replace medical consultation at a travel health clinic or by your physician.


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