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Key points. Initial symptoms of yellow fever can include fever, chills, severe headache, back pain, general body aches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (feeling tired), and weakness. Severe symptoms include high fever, yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), bleeding, shock, and organ failure.
- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
- Diagnosis and Tests
- Management and Treatment
- Prevention
- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
- Additional Common Questions
Infected mosquitoes transmit the viral disease called yellow fever to people. Symptoms range from mild symptoms like body aches and fever to serious symptoms like organ failure. It can be fatal, but it can also be prevented by getting vaccinated.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving WithAdditional Common Questions
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What are the signs and symptoms of yellow fever?
It’s possible to have yellow fever and have no symptoms at all. If you do have signs and symptoms of yellow fever, they might be less severe or more severe. Less severe symptoms may include: Fever. Headache. Body ache. Tiredness (fatigue). Nausea and vomiting. More severe symptoms include: Very high fever. Jaundice (your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow). Hemorrhage (bleeding). Shock. Liver failure. Kidney failure. Death. About 30% to 60% of the people who have the severe form of yellow fever will die.
What causes yellow fever?
Yellow fever is caused by a virus that’s spread by certain kinds of mosquitoes. Advertisement
How does yellow fever spread?
Yellow fever is spread by specific types of mosquitoes found in tropical and subtropical Africa (Saharan Africa) and South America. The infection spreads when the infected mosquito bites a person.
How is yellow fever diagnosed?
If you’ve been to any area that has yellow fever and you develop any symptoms, you should see your healthcare provider immediately. In addition to asking you about your symptoms and the places that you’ve visited, your provider will order tests to find out if the virus is in your blood.
Is there a cure for yellow fever?
No, there’s no cure or treatment for yellow fever. That’s why it’s so important to get the vaccine and to avoid mosquitoes. Your healthcare provider may advise you to get a lot of rest and drink lots of fluids to feel better. If you need to take a pain reliever, avoid those which can cause bleeding, such as aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If you have a more serious form of yellow fever, you should be admitted to a hospital. Care at Cleveland Clinic Infectious Disease Care Make an Appointment
How can I prevent yellow fever?
If you’ll be spending time in any area known to have yellow fever, get the vaccine about three to four weeks before going on your trip. For most people, a single dose provides lifelong protection. Other tips include: Use a mosquito repellent with DEET. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and socks. It’s best if you wear clothing that’s treated to repel mosquitoes. Consider using a bed net if the lodging doesn’t have air conditioning or screens on the windows. Avoid being outside during times when mosquitoes are active. In most cases, this means dusk to dawn, but one of the mosquitoes that spread yellow fever feeds during the daytime. If you’ve been diagnosed with yellow fever, continue to cover up. You don’t want a mosquito to bite you and then bite someone else.
What is the outlook for someone with yellow fever?
If you have a less severe form of yellow fever, you’ll probably recover from your symptoms in about seven days. You may feel tired and weak for much longer than a week. After you recover, you’ll have immunity to yellow fever.
When should I see my healthcare provider about yellow fever?
If you’ve traveled to Africa or South America and you have any type of symptom like fever or body aches, you should contact your healthcare provider. If you’ve been diagnosed with yellow fever and you have any new or worsening symptoms, contact your provider.
Is yellow fever the same as malaria?
Yellow fever is not the same disease as malaria, but they do have some things in common: They are both spread by mosquitoes. They both cause fever and other flu-like symptoms. They both can cause jaundice, severe sickness and even death. There are also significant differences between malaria and yellow fever, such as: Malaria is caused by a parasite, while yellow fever is caused by a virus. The types of mosquitoes that spread malaria are different than the mosquitoes that spread yellow fever. There is a vaccine to prevent yellow fever, but no vaccine to prevent malaria. If you’re traveling to an area with malaria, talk to your provider about preventative medications for malaria.
How long did the yellow fever pandemic in the United States last?
There were outbreaks of yellow fever in the U.S. at various times, starting in the 1600s. One of the worst outbreaks happened in Philadelphia in 1793. About 10% of the population of the city died from yellow fever. While there were other outbreaks in the U.S., the last major outbreak of yellow fever happened in New Orleans in 1905.
Why is yellow fever called yellow fever?
The “yellow” in yellow fever refers to the color of your skin if you have jaundice. The infection also usually comes with fever. Thus, the condition was called yellow fever.
Common symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headache, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting. In most cases, symptoms disappear after 3 to 4 days. A small percentage of patients enter a second, more toxic phase within 24 hours of recovering from initial symptoms.
Common symptoms include: headaches. muscle aches. joint aches. a fever. flushing. a loss of appetite. shivers. backaches. After the acute phase is over, symptoms will begin...
Feb 26, 2024 · The initial symptoms of yellow fever are: Fever and chills. Flu -like symptoms such as muscle aches, headache, and vomiting. The next phase is remission, which lasts for 48 hours. Patients...
May 15, 2024 · Illness ranges from a fever with aches and pains to severe liver disease with bleeding and yellowing skin and eyes (jaundice). Yellow fever is diagnosed based on laboratory testing, a person’s symptoms, and travel history. There is no medicine to treat yellow fever.
Nov 8, 2023 · Yellow fever can present with a wide range of symptoms and severity. Once contracted, the yellow fever virus incubates in the body for 3–6 days. Many people do not experience symptoms, but when these do occur, the most common are fever, muscle pain with prominent backache, headache, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting.
