Yellow Fever Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Yellow fever or yellow fever is an acute disease caused by a virus and spread by mosquitoes. As the name implies, this disease shows symptoms of the body appearing yellow.
This virus is endemic in tropical countries such as Africa, Central America, and South America. There is currently a yellow fever vaccine available. Even so, the disease will still spread easily if it attacks areas where there are lots of mosquitoes and people who do not have immunity because they are not immunized. That’s why it’s important to get a yellow fever vaccination before you visit a country known to be endemic to yellow fever. Related Article: Causes of Nightmares when Fever and How to Overcome
Symptom
People with yellow fever usually do not show any special symptoms in the early stages. The virus will experience an incubation period in the body for three to six days after infection. Symptoms will appear afterward, namely:
- fever
- headache
- muscle pain especially back pain
- nauseous
- vomit
- no appetite
- weak
These symptoms will also disappear after three to four days. Most sufferers will recover by themselves.
However, there are a small number of sufferers who can experience very severe symptoms within 24 hours. In that case, the sufferer will experience a high fever again and several organ systems such as the kidneys and liver will be affected. Related Article: 5 Easy Ways to Lower High Fever
Sufferers will experience yellow on the skin and eyes (jaundice). The patient’s urine will become darker in color. Bleeding can occur from the mouth, nose, eyes or stomach. In fact, half of sufferers who enter this toxic phase can die within seven to ten days.
Reason
Jaundice is caused by an arbovirus of the flavivirus genus. This virus is transmitted by Aedes and Haemogogus mosquitoes. These types of mosquitoes are found around houses and forests.
This virus is spread to humans through the bite of the mosquito. Humans cannot transmit this virus to each other by casual contact but can be infected through blood contact such as from a needle.
Diagnosis
It is quite difficult to make a diagnosis of yellow fever, especially in its early stages. In the toxic phase, the disease mimics malaria, leptospirosis, viral hepatitis, other dengue fever, and poisoning.
A blood test (RT-PCR) can sometimes detect the virus in its early stages. In advanced stages, tests are needed to identify antibodies such as ELISA and PRNT tests.
Treatment
Until now there is no antiviral drug specifically aimed at curing yellow fever. Treatment is more focused on supportive therapy. Good early treatment in the hospital can increase the chances of recovery.
Treatment usually includes medication for dehydration, kidney and liver failure, and fever. Bacterial infections that appear can be treated with antibiotics. The use of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDs is usually avoided because of the risk of bleeding in yellow fever.
Prevention
The yellow fever vaccine is an effective prevention that is safe and affordable. Just one single dose of the vaccine is enough to provide lifelong immunity against this disease. The vaccine will be effective within 30 days.
Vaccines should not be given to infants under 9 months (except in epidemic cases), pregnant and lactating women, people with severe allergies to egg protein, people with severe low immune systems such as HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, and the elderly ( 65 years and over).
In addition to vaccines, mosquito control programs can also be carried out to prevent the spread of yellow fever. Spraying insecticides can kill adult mosquitoes. In addition, efforts should be made to control water storage areas that have the potential to become mosquito breeding sites.