Yellow fever vaccine – Vaccination against yellow fever

What is yellow fever?

Yellow fever – virus, which is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.

Jungle Yellow Fever transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, who have been infected by monkeys – carriers of the virus.

Urban yellow fever transmitted by mosquitoes from infected people, and the mosquitoes continue to infect other people, biting them. Yellow fever can not be transmitted from person to person.

Yellow fever virus is found only in South America and sub-Saharan Africa. Dzhunglevaya yellow fever, usually, transmitted only people, who work or travel in the rainforest. Infection with yellow fever can occur only through the bite of a female mosquito.

Risk factors for contracting yellow fever include a trip to the region, where people already infected with yellow fever virus or to, where there are contaminated monkeys or mosquitoes, which can transmit the virus.

Symptoms of yellow fever:

• Heat;
• Chills and muscle aches;
• Vomiting, sometimes vomiting blood;
• Headache;
• Backache.

More serious complications include:

• Shock;
• Bleeding;
• Hepatic failure;
• Renal failure;
• Jaundice (as a result of liver failure).

Symptoms usually begin after 3-6 days after infection. Yellow fever is diagnosed by a blood test, but the treatment of the virus does not exist. Doctors usually recommend a long bed rest, along with receiving large quantities of liquid. Patients should also avoid places, where there are mosquitoes, to avoid spreading the disease to other people.

Yellow fever can spontaneously flow into hemorrhagic fever, which can lead to death.

What is the yellow fever vaccine?

Vaccine – weakened, living form of the yellow fever virus. The vaccine is created live virus when grown in the laboratory. The primary method of storage – frozen vials. The vaccine is administered subcutaneously.

Vaccination against yellow fever is not usually done in conjunction with other vaccines, but it may be administered together with a vaccine against hepatitis B.

Who and when to be vaccinated against yellow fever?

You should be vaccinated following a group of people:

• All men between the ages of 9 months before 59 years, who travel to or live in a place, where yellow fever is present – certain areas of South America and Africa;
• People, who work in laboratories and can be exposed to yellow fever;

Travelers should be vaccinated at least 10 days prior to departure.

Action vaccine persists for 10 years. Through 10 years after vaccination requires booster shots, if the person is in the area, where there is a risk to be ill with yellow fever.

Risks, associated with yellow fever vaccine

Common side effects include minor:

• Fever;
• Hypersensitivity, swelling or redness at the injection site;
• Muscle aches.

Few, Serious side effects include:

• The reaction of the nervous system;
• Severe allergic reaction;
• Organ failure (organ failure).

Yellow fever vaccine – who should not be vaccinated?

You do not need to be vaccinated following a group of people:

• Children aged six months or younger, rarely, where 6-8 month-old baby should go to high-risk areas, about vaccination should consult with your doctor;
• People over 60 years are at increased risk of serious complications. When driving in an area with risk of yellow fever, you need to consult with a specialist in infectious diseases, to find out, Can I make vaccination;
• People, that have:
  • Serious allergic to eggs, chicken, or gelatin;
  • If there are diseases, that weaken the immune system, such as HIV – when traveling to high-risk areas, about vaccination should consult with your doctor;
  • In the treatment methods, that weaken the immune system, such as cancer treatment;
  • When cancer;
  • There are problems with the thymus or the thymus gland, or they have been deleted;
  • If there is a pregnancy (theoretical risk for the development of the fetus), I need to talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of the vaccine when traveling to high-risk areas. If vaccination was done before, your doctor may prescribe a blood test, to check for immunity;
  • When breastfeeding about vaccination should consult with your doctor.

What other ways to prevent yellow fever vaccination in addition?

To reduce the risk of yellow fever, You can perform the following actions:

• Use insect repellents;
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants;
• Being in the room, protected from insects.

What happens in the event of an outbreak of yellow fever?

The outbreak of yellow fever in Europe is unlikely, since there is no region of the virus vectors. But in the event of an outbreak, uninfected people to be vaccinated, and will be taken precautionary measures to reduce transmission of infection.