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$Title{Yellow Fever}
$Subject{Yellow Fever Bunyavirus Infection Dengue Fever Viral Encephalitis
Malaria }
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Copyright (C) 1990 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

721:
Yellow Fever

** IMPORTANT **
It is possible that the main title of the article (Yellow Fever) is not
the name you expected.  Please check the SYNONYM listing to find the
alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article.

Synonyms

     Bunyavirus Infection

Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
Disorders section of this report:

     Dengue Fever
     Viral Encephalitis
     Malaria

General Discussion

** REMINDER **
The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
educational purposes only.  It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
purposes.  If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources"
section of this report.

Yellow Fever is a viral infection which causes damage to the liver,
kidney, heart and gastrointestinal tract.  Major symptoms may include sudden
onset of fever, yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and hemorrhage.  It occurs
predominately in South America, the Caribbean Islands and Africa.  The
disease is spread through bites of infected mosquitos.  Incidence of the
disease tends to increase in the summer as the mosquito population increases,
and it occurs year round in tropical climates.

Yellow Fever has two cycles:  the sylvan cycle in which mosquitos
primarily spread the disease among forest-dwelling primates, and the urban
cycle in which the infection is spread from human to human.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Yellow Fever are the sudden onset of fever and chills along
with headache, backache, generalized pain, nausea, vomiting, flushed face and
infection of the inner eyelid.  The fever usually disappears after three
days, reappearing several days later with new symptoms of jaundice, bleeding
gums, soft palate hemorrhages, and the vomiting of blood (black vomit).  The
patient may go into shock during this phase.

Yellow Fever may also appear in a mild form with symptoms resembling
influenza, malaria, dengue fever or typhoid.  In this case, the fever usually
lasts less than one week.

Causes

Yellow Fever is caused by a virus spread by the bite by an infected mosquito.
Initially, a mosquito acquires the disease by ingesting the blood of an
infected host.  The mosquito then transmits the infection to its next bite
victim.

Affected Population

Yellow Fever affects males and females equally.  People living in
semitropical or tropical climates are at risk unless they are vaccinated
against this infection.  People in southern areas of the United States,
living near marshes and swamps may be at risk during the summer months.

Related Disorders

Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of Yellow Fever.
Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis:

Dengue Fever is a disease also transmitted by a mosquito bite and
characterized by a skin rash and a high fever with severe pain in the head
and muscles.  There is a sudden onset of symptoms with pain also occuring in
the lower back, legs and joints.  (For more information on this disorder,
choose "Dengue Fever" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database).

Viral Encephalitis is a disease characterized by fever, headache,
vomiting, rigidity of the neck, lethargy and convulsions.  Generalized
muscular weakness and paralysis may also occur.

Malaria is a communicable disorder also spread through the bite of a
mosquito.  Symptoms include chills and fever, although not every case follows
the same pattern.  Symptoms may begin a week after exposure to the mosquito
or months later.  (For more information of this disorder, choose "Malaria" as
your search term in the Rare Disease Database).

Therapies:  Standard

The treatment of Yellow Fever is symptomatic.  Preventative measures consist
of mosquito control and vaccination which prevents infection.

Therapies:  Investigational

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through July
1990.  Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every
entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate.  Please
check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current
information about this disorder.

Resources

For more information on Yellow Fever, please contact:

     National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
     P.O. Box 8923
     New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
     (203) 746-6518

     NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
     9000 Rockville Pike
     Bethesda, MD  20892
     (301) 496-5717

     Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
     1600 Clifton Road NE
     Atlanta, GA 30333

References

INTERNAL MEDICINE, 2nd Ed.:  Jay H. Stein, ed.-in-chief; Little, Brown and
Co., 1987.  Pp. 1594-1599.

THE MERCK MANUAL, Volume 1, 14th Ed.:  Robert Berkow, M.D., ed.-in chief;
Merck, Sharp & Dohme Laboratories., 1982.  Pp. 120.

YELLOW FEVER:  A MEDICALLY NEGLECTED DISEASE.  REPORT ON A SEMINAR.  T.P.
Monath; REV INFECT DIS 1987 Jan-Feb; 9(1):165-75.

STUDIES ON YELLOW FEVER VACCINE.  I.  QUALITY CONTROL PARAMETERS.  O. de
Souza Lopes et al; J BIOL STAND 1987 Oct; 15940:323-9.