Yellow Fever
DefinitionYellow fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes and characterized by fever, jaundice, kidney failure, and bleeding.
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Yellow fever is caused by an arbovirus, a small virus transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes. This disease is common in South America and in sub-Saharan Africa. Humans and monkeys are both hosts in the transmission cycle of this infection.
While yellow fever can affect individuals of all ages, the elderly have a higher risk of severe infection. If a person is bitten by an infected mosquito, symptoms usually develop three to six days later.
Yellow fever can be divided into three stages:
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Early stage: headache, muscle aches, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, and jaundice are common.
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Period of remission: fever and other symptoms resolve -- most individuals will recover at this stage, yet up to 15% may move onto the third, most dangerous stage.
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Period of intoxication: characterized by multi-organ dysfunction -- liver and kidney failure, bleeding disorders/hemorrhage, brain dysfunction including delirium, seizures, coma, shock, and in up to 30% individuals, death.
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