Yellow jack

Yellow Jack is a common name for the Yellow Fever, a viral disease of typically short duration. In severe cases, it can cause high fever, bleeding into the skin, and cell death in the liver and kidneys. Yellow Jack is caused by the Yellow Fever Virus and is spread by the bite of an infected female mosquito.

History

The term "Yellow Jack" originated during the 19th century, when yellow flags were flown in ports to indicate the presence of quarantine due to a Yellow Fever outbreak. The disease has been a source of several devastating epidemics throughout history, particularly in Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of Yellow Jack include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within seven to ten days. Diagnosis of the disease is complicated and usually requires blood tests to confirm.

Treatment and Prevention

There is no specific treatment for Yellow Jack. Management of the disease focuses on relieving symptoms and reducing the risk of complications. Prevention methods include vaccination and mosquito control. The Yellow Fever Vaccine is safe and affordable, providing effective immunity within one week for 95% of those vaccinated.

Epidemiology

Yellow Jack is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Central and South America. Large epidemics of the disease occur when infected people introduce the virus into heavily populated areas with high mosquito density and where most people have little or no immunity due to lack of vaccination.

See Also

• Yellow Fever Vaccine
• Mosquito-borne disease
• Epidemiology of yellow fever