•  
  •  

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a serious viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. It occurs mostly in Africa and South America.

Symptoms of yellow fever usually appear suddenly and may include:

  • Fever.
  • Headache.
  • Slow heartbeat.
  • Yellowish skin (jaundice).
  • Vomiting.
  • Bleeding from the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth. Gastrointestinal bleeding may cause the person to vomit blood.

There is no specific treatment for yellow fever. Many cases of yellow fever are mild, and people recover completely within a few days to a week. More severe cases may lead to serious bleeding, failure of the heart, liver, or kidneys, and death within a week to 10 days.

Last Revised: March 30, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.