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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffYellow fever is a hemorrhagic fever caused by a virus spread by a particular species of mosquito. It's most common in areas of Africa and South America, affecting travelers to and residents of those areas.
In mild cases, yellow fever causes fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. But yellow fever can become more serious, causing bleeding (hemorrhaging), heart, liver and kidney problems. Up to 50 percent of people with the more severe form of yellow fever die of the disease.
There's no specific treatment for yellow fever. But getting a yellow fever vaccine before traveling to an area in which the virus is known to exist can protect you from the disease.
- Monath TP. Yellow fever. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Yellow fever fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/yellowfever/YF_FactSheet.html. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Hayes EB. Flaviviruses. In: Long SS, et al., eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/146825972-7/857803487/1679/222.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06687-0..50221-6_4048. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Yellow fever: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/yellowfever/YF_Transmission.html. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Yellow fever vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/YellowFever/vaccine/index.html. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Repellent. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Travelers' health: Vaccinations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/content/vaccinations.aspx. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Possible side-effects from vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#yf. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Steckelberg JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 9, 2009.
