Yellow fever

Infectious disease caused by a virus, primarily affecting tropical areas in South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. It is transmitted by a mosquito bite and is a very serious disease. The disease develops in three stages: Infection stage with typical symptoms of any viral infection such as fever, headache, muscle aches and yellowish skin and conjunctiva (jaundice). The remission stage is completely asymptomatic. The intoxication stage is the most severe with high fever, jaundice and multiple organ failure. Diagnosis is clinical and is confirmed by serology. In South America and Africa, it is considered an endemic disease that presents as an epidemic. It is a very serious disease and there is no specific treatment, only supportive measures. In more severe cases, the patient will need to be admitted into an intensive care unit for advanced techniques to be carried out.