Yellow Fever Vaccines  Go Back
Author: Nelspruit Health    Date Published: 28 November 2017

What is Yellow Fever?

Yellow fever is a viral infection that is spread by a day-biting mosquito in the jungles of Central and South America, Africa, Angola and Uganda. Transmission of the virus is kept alive in different cycles that are maintained between monkeys, mosquitoes, and humans. Although there is no cure for the disease, the yellow fever vaccine is an effective prophylactic.

Yellow fever is a severe illness which develops within six days of being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms develop quickly, starting with a headache and fever, followed by body pains. Nausea is often present, followed by jaundice. Bleeding is common, and may lead to a coma and death.

Yellow Fever Travel Regulations

International health regulations are unequivocal, especially when it comes to yellow fever. Although the vaccine provides immunity for life, immigration officials in some African countries will require that you show your internationally recognised yellow fever vaccination certificate dated within the past 10 years. If you can't produce this certification, you may be denied entry into African countries such as:

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Sudan, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.

The same strict regulations are followed in South American countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tobago.

In some cases, you may even be quarantined. For the yellow fever vaccine to be effective, it should be administered a week to ten days before departure.

Yellow Fever Treatment

Although there is no specific treatment to fight the yellow fever virus, an experienced travel doctor will provide symptomatic treatment to help manage fever, dehydration and respiratory failure.

Apart from meeting travel regulations, yellow fever is best avoided. A yellow fever vaccine will provide lifelong immunity. Speak to your travel doctor about your yellow fever vaccine today.