Yellow Fever is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, present in South America and sub – Saharan Africa. Symptoms appear within a few days after the edge and are characterized by jaundice, Yellow Fever. Symptoms evolve and are classified into stages based on the virus’s progress, ranging from head colors and vomiting to yellow skin and kidney failure. Prevention through vaccination is the best treatment for yellow Fever since only the symptoms can be relieved once you have the virus. This article explains the contagion, symptoms, and treatment of yellow Fever.
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Yellow fever contagion
Yellow Fever is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with the virus. All people can be infected with Yellow Fever, but older people have a higher risk of developing the virus in the most authoritarian state. According to its contagion, we can distinguish three types according to their forms of transmission:
- Jungle . It mainly affects monkeys, the living being most affected by the bite, and humans. It takes place in tropical forests, and mosquitoes contract the virus when they contact these infected animals and can subsequently infect humans.
- Intermedia . The contagion causes an outbreak of Yellow Fever in different populations separated from each other, causing deaths. If not controlled, it can generate an epidemic, considered severe. It takes place in the humidor semi-humid savannas of the African continent.
- Epidemic . The contagion occurs in areas with a high urban concentration, leading to large outbreaks in which people easily infect each other.
Symptoms of yellow Fever
When a person contracts the virus and the incubation period of 3 or 6 days has passed, the infection develops in one or two phases. Yellow Fever can be confused with other hemorrhagic fevers such as the Zika virus or dengue.
- First phase . The acute phase is considered, in which the first symptoms appear, such as Fever, headaches, chills, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, and pain in the back. Affected people usually improve after four days, disappearing symptoms.
- Second phase . Only 15% of those infected with yellow Fever reach this state. The fever increases, and damage occurs to various organs. Other symptoms include jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, nose, oral, eye, gastric bleeding, and blood in vomit, stool, or kidney failure. 50% of patients in this phase die after two weeks, while the other half end up recovering.
Common symptoms of yellow Fever are:
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Delusions caused by Fever.
- Jaundice. Yellow skin and eyes.
- Bleeding
- Arrhythmias Irregular heartbeat
- Muscle pains.
- Vomiting and bloody stools.
- Involuntary muscle contractions.
Yellow fever treatment
Currently, there is no cure for Yellow Fever. The objective when treating infected patients is to control the symptoms with medications that help combat fever and dehydration. Antibiotics are given to control the bacteria that cause the infection. However, many affected areas do not have sufficient resources to obtain the necessary medications to control symptoms.
Yellow fever prevention
Prevention is one of the most critical factors in controlling yellow Fever, with vaccination and mosquito control being the two most relevant measures.
The vaccination allows that yellow Fever’s contagion does not get to generate epidemics. Especially in high-risk areas, immunizing the population is a significant factor, so outbreaks must be identified to control them as quickly as possible. The most effective measure is preventive vaccination in childhood, through campaigns to increase coverage in those countries most prone to outbreaks and those who are going to travel to places with a high risk of contagion. The yellow fever vaccine is effective, and almost complete immunity is achieved after a month. However, several groups should not be vaccinated:
- Under nine months.
- Pregnant, except for yellow fever outbreaks.
- People with severe allergies to egg proteins or those with immunodeficient disorders caused by AIDS or other infections.
On the other hand, mosquito control plays a vital role in waiting for the vaccine to take effect. Eliminating the main mosquito breeding sites in urban areas can help reduce the risk of contagion and apply insecticide to water. Therefore, controlling the presence of mosquitoes is essential to get the vaccine to take effect and reduce the number of cases.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.