Yellow fever

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Yellow fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes that causes fever, jaundice, kidney failure, and bleeding.

Yellow fever is caused by a small virus that is spread by the bite of mosquitoes. This disease is common in South America and in sub-Saharan Africa.

Anyone can get yellow fever, but the elderly have a higher risk of severe infection. If a person is bitten by an infected mosquito, symptoms usually develop 3 to 6 days later.

Yellow fever can be divided into three stages:

1. Early stage : Headache, muscle aches, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, and jaundice are common. After approximately 3 to 4 days, victims often experience brief remission.
2. Period of remission : After a few days (3 to 4) fever and other symptoms go away. Most individuals will recover at this stage, but others may move onto the third, most dangerous stage (intoxication stage) within 24 hours.
3. Period of intoxication : Multi-organ dysfunction occurs. This includes liver and kidney failure, bleeding disorders/hemorrhage, brain dysfunction including delirium , seizures , coma , shock, and death.

Review Date: 11/08/2005
Reviewed By: Daniel Levy, M.D., Ph.D., Infectious Diseases, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.