Yellow Fever

Cause: Yellow fever virus.

Illness and treatment: Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and vomiting. Later signs include jaundice, gum bleeding, and bloody vomit in addition to liver and kidney failure. Twenty to 50% of jaundiced cases are fatal. Treatment is supportive.

Sources: Yellow fever occurs in tropical areas of Africa and South America. There are 2 transmission cycles, a jungle cycle involving non-human primates and an urban cycle involving humans. Transmission is by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Prevention: When in endemic countries, avoid mosquito bites by wearing appropriate clothing, using insect repellents, using bed nets, and making sure windows and doors are "bug tight." Consult with a travel clinic or the CDC Travelers' Health website for recommendations about vaccination.

Recent Washington trends: No cases, with the exception of a vaccine-associated infection in 2002, have been reported in over 50 years of surveillance.

Purpose of Reporting and Surveillance

To identify cases of yellow fever associated with travel
To prevent further spread of the disease within the United States

Legal Reporting Requirements

Health care providers and Health care facilities: immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction
Laboratories: any positive result except IgG immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction; submission required – specimen associated with any positive result excluding IgG, within 2 business days
Local health jurisdictions: suspected and confirmed cases are immediately notifiable to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable Disease Epidemiology (CDE) (206-418-5500 or 1-877-539-4344)