Yellow fever

Yellow fever is a serious disease that you can catch by being bitten by an infected mosquito. If you are travelling to some parts of Africa, Central or South America, you will need a vaccination to prevent you catching yellow fever.

Yellow fever map

What is yellow fever?

Yellow fever is caused by a virus. It can make you very ill, causing bleeding from the organs of your body and even death. It’s called yellow fever because sometimes it makes the skin turn yellow (jaundice).

The virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Aedes or Haemagogus mosquitoes. Yellow fever is found in 29 countries in Africa and 13 countries in Central and South America.

You can also check whether there is a yellow fever risk in the country you’re travelling to at Smartraveller.

Yellow fever kills about 30,000 people every year.

Symptoms of yellow fever

Symptoms usually develop 3 to 6 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Sometimes people are not seriously ill. In some people, there are 2 stages to yellow fever. The first stage causes symptoms including:

• fever
• muscle pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• headache
• weakness

The second stage involves bleeding, jaundice and liver and kidney failure. About half of people who progress to the second stage will die within 10 to 14 days.

Diagnosis and treatment of yellow fever

Yellow fever can be hard to recognise because the first stage is similar to many other illnesses. The diagnosis is confirmed with a blood test.

There is no specific treatment for yellow fever, although symptoms such as dehydration and fever can be treated. People who are seriously ill will need to be looked after in intensive care.

Yellow fever prevention

The best way to prevent yellow fever is by being vaccinated. You only need one vaccination to protect you your whole life. Children over 9 months can have the vaccination.

It’s important to get your yellow fever vaccination at an approved clinic. You need it at least 10 days before you travel to the country. You will be given an international yellow fever vaccination certificate. You may need to show this to enter other countries after you have been in a yellow fever-infected area.

If you arrive in Australia from somewhere that has yellow fever, you will need to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate before you can come into the country. Everyone over 1 needs to show the certificate.

Even if you have been vaccinated, you still need to prevent mosquito bites. Mosquitoes carry other serious illnesses including malaria, Zika virus and dengue fever.

To avoid mosquito bites:

• Stay indoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitos are most active. The mosquitos that carry yellow fever are active all day.
• Stay in a screened or air-conditioned room, or sleep under a mosquito net treated with permethrin.
• Wear covered footwear outside and loose, light-coloured clothing that covers your body.
• Apply mosquito repellent containing DEET (diethyltoluamide). Use sparingly on children and avoid their hands, eyes and mouth. If you are pregnant, check with your doctor first.
• Spray mosquito repellent onto your clothes.
• Use pyrethrum insect sprays or vaporising mats inside.
• Burn mosquito coils when outdoors.
• Remove mosquito breeding places from around the home.

Yellow fever Resources
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