In yellow fever (synonyms: Bush yellow fever; Jungle yellow fever; Febris flava; Yellow fever hepatitis; Ochropyra; Black vomiting; Sylvatic yellow fever; Urban yellow fever; ICD-10-GM A95.-: Yellow fever) is an infectious disease that occurs primarily in the tropics of Africa and South America.
The disease belongs to the viral hemorrhagic fever group.
It is transmitted by the yellow fever virus (GFV) genus Flavivirus, an RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviruses (Flaviviridae) group. The flavivirus family belongs to the list of arboviruses transmissible to humans by arthropods (arthropods).
The pathogen reservoir is monkeys, but also infected humans. City yellow fever in infected humans can be distinguished from jungle yellow fever in infected monkeys. In addition, an intermediate transmission cycle may occur, linking the two species.
Occurrence: The infection occurs in Africa (15° north to 18° south latitude, “yellow fever belt”) and in tropical Central and South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru; individual Caribbean islands).No cases of yellow fever have yet been reported in Asia
The pathogen is transmitted (infection route) by mosquitoes of the genera Aedes and Haemagogus. The former are diurnal and nocturnal. In exceptional cases, transmission through blood donations is possible.
Human-to-human transmission: No.
The incubation period (time from infection to onset of disease) is usually 3-6 days.
Worldwide, approximately 200,000 people contract the disease each year, and 30,000 die from yellow fever.
The disease leaves lifelong immunity. This applies both to inapparent (“not appearing”) infections, survived disease or after live vaccination.
Course and prognosis: There is no causal therapy. The individual signs of the disease can only be addressed symptomatically. After the first phase of the disease, a second (toxic) phase occurs in up to 15% of infected persons, in which about half of the affected persons die.
The lethality (mortality related to the total number of people suffering from the disease) of yellow fever patients is 10-20%.
Vaccination: A vaccination against yellow fever is available.
In Germany, direct or indirect detection of the pathogen is reportable under the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) if the evidence indicates acute infection.
