Yellow Fever

What is Yellow Fever?

Yellow fever is a mosquito-spread viral disease that exists in some parts of Africa and South America. The disease has a fatality rate of 60%. The symptoms include fever, vomiting, jaundice and kidney disease. Yellow fever is a very rare cause of illness in travellers, however preventive measures must be carried out.

How is Yellow Fever Prevented?

General precautions to avoid mosquito bites should be followed. These include the use of insect repellent (preferably Bushman's Gel), protective clothing and mosquito netting. Extra precautions may include treating your clothes with Permethrin. These are available at Travel Vaccination Health Care and should be discussed with your travel doctor.

The Yellow Fever vaccine provides almost 100% protection. A single vaccination is effective from 10 days to 10 years after administration. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, allergic to eggs, have poor immunity due to chemotherapy or HIV-AIDS.

The Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

Most countries have requirements for yellow fever vaccination for travellers coming from an endemic area, that must be met prior to entering the country. Persons over the age of 1 arriving in Australia and who have visited an endemic area within the last 6 days, will need a current WHO certificate. The vaccination and the certificate is only available from a licensed Yellow Fever centre such as Travel Vaccination Health Care.