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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffYellow fever is a viral infection 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 heart, liver and kidney problems along with bleeding (hemorrhaging). 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 July 20, 2011.
- Yellow fever fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/yellowfever/YF_FactSheet.html. Accessed July 19, 2011.
- Hayes EB. Flaviviruses. In: Long SS. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Revised Reprint. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50224-8&isbn=978-0-7020-3468-8&uniqId=267749278-4#4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50224-8. Accessed July 19, 2011.
- Yellow fever frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/yellowfever/YF_FAQ.html. Accessed July 19, 2011.
- Yellow fever vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/YellowFever/vaccine/index.html. Accessed July 19, 2011.
- Insect repellent use and safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm. Accessed July 19, 2011.
- Vaccinations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/content/vaccinations.aspx. Accessed July 20, 2011.
- Possible side-effects from vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#yf. Accessed July 20, 2011.
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