Yellow Fever Vaccine

The yellow fever vaccination is a typical travel vaccination. It is carried out in Germany with a live vaccine that provides sufficient protection after only ten days, which lasts for approximately ten years. The vaccination can only be carried out in state-authorized yellow fever vaccination centers. Yellow fever is an infection with the yellow fever virus, which leads primarily to severe damage to the liver. The virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. The following are the recommendations of the Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute on yellow fever vaccination:

Indications (areas of application)

  • B: In activities involving contact with yellow fever virus (e.g., in research facilities or laboratories).
  • R: Before staying in yellow fever endemic areas in tropical Africa and South America (follow WHO guidance on yellow fever infection areas) or according to the requirements of a yellow fever vaccination certificate of the destination or transit countries.

* Since the implementation of the current changes in the International Health Regulations (IHR), according to which after 1-time yellow fever vaccination is a lifelong protection and no booster vaccination at 10-year intervals is no longer necessary, may take until July 2016, should be considered until then notes on entry requirements e.g. WHO: http://www.who.int/entity/ith/2015-ith-county-list.pdf?ua=1// http://www.who.int/entity/ith/2015-ith-annex1.pdf?ua=1. (The links provided contain a current overview of countries in which the yellow fever booster vaccination is still required or is no longer required). Legend

  • B: Vaccinations due to an increased occupational risk, e.g. after risk assessment according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act/Biological Substances Ordinance/ Ordinance on Occupational Medical Precautions (ArbMedVV) and/or for the protection of third parties within the scope of the occupational activity.
  • R: Vaccinations due to travel

Contraindications

  • Acute, severe, febrile illnesses.
  • Immunodeficiencies or immunosuppression
  • Dysfunction of the thymus or condition n. thymectomy (removal of the thymus/brie).
  • Pregnant women* [vaccination only with clear indication and after careful risk-benefit assessment].
  • Breastfeeding*
  • Infants under six months
  • People with a chicken egg protein allergy or allergy to vaccine components.

* Vaccination against yellow fever may be administered during pregnancy only if clearly indicated and only after careful risk-benefit assessment. Vaccination against yellow fever should not be given in breastfeeding women. Isolated cases have been described worldwide in which breastfed infants have developed meningoencephalitis (combined inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and meninges (meningitis)) after vaccination of the mother against yellow fever.

Implementation

Booster vaccination: the following groups of people may possibly benefit from a booster vaccination, as their immune response may be weakened and therefore there may not be lifelong protection after a single vaccination:

  1. Children who were vaccinated for the first time at the age of <2 years, especially those who had received MMR vaccination at the same time as the yellow fever vaccine
  2. Women who were vaccinated during pregnancy,
  3. HIV-infected

Further notes

  • Yellow fever vaccination should not be administered together with TBE vaccination (both pathogens belong to the flavivirus group).

Efficacy

  • Reliable efficacy
  • Vaccine protection from about 10 days after vaccination.
  • In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO), after assessing the available evidence, determined that after a single yellow fever vaccination is assumed to provide lifelong protection.
  • Infants vaccinated against yellow fever may still need a booster vaccination.

Side effects / vaccination reactions