Yellow fever or yellow fever is a type of disease caused by a virus and transmitted through intermediariesan mosquito.This disease is characterized by high fever, and yellowing of the eyes and skin due to decreased liver function.
Yellow fever is a dangerous disease. If not treated properly, this condition carries a high risk of serious complications, such as kidney failure and coma. In some cases, yellow fever can even cause death.
Causes of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is commonly found in Africa, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Yellow fever can affect residents living in endemic areas and tourists visiting these areas.
Yellow fever is caused by a type of virus Flavivirus and spread by mosquitoes Aedes aegypti. This type of mosquito breeds in the environment around humans, including in clean water.
Mosquito Aedes aegypti carry the virus after biting an infected human or monkey. The virus then enters the mosquito's bloodstream and settles in the mosquito's salivary glands.
When the mosquito bites another human or monkey again, the virus will enter the bloodstream and spread within the human or monkey's body.
Aedes aegypti most active during the day, so the spread of yellow fever virus most occurs at that time.
Symptoms of Yellow Fever
Symptoms of yellow fever have three phases, namely the incubation, acute, and toxic phases. Here's the explanation:
1. Incubation phase
In this phase, the virus that enters the body has not yet caused signs or symptoms. The incubation phase lasts 1-3 days after infection.
2. Acute phase
This phase occurs on the 3rd or 4th day after infection, and can last for 3–4 days. In this phase, people with yellow fever begin to experience symptoms, such as:
- Fever
- Dizzy
- Reddish eyes, face, or tongue
- Headache
- Glare to light
- Decreased appetite
- Muscle ache
- Nausea and vomiting
After the acute phase ends, these symptoms will disappear. Most people recover from yellow fever after this phase. However, some people will actually enter a more serious phase of yellow fever, namely the toxic phase.
3. Toxic phase
In this phase, the symptoms that appear in the acute phase will be felt again by the patient after 24 hours of not appearing and accompanied by more serious symptoms, such as:
- Yellowing of the skin and sclera (white part of the eye)
- Slow heart rate
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting sometimes accompanied by blood
- Bleeding from nose, mouth and eyes
- Little urine and kidney failure
- heart failure
- Decreased brain function, including delirium, seizures, to coma
When to go to the doctor
Check with your doctor or call your doctor before you travel to an area where you know you have had or are experiencing an outbreak of yellow fever. This is to determine whether you need to get vaccinated for yellow fever or not.
It's best to get vaccinated 3-4 weeks before you travel. However, if you have less time than this, it is advisable to contact your doctor to discuss whether vaccinations should still be carried out, as well as other suggestions so that you can travel safely.
See a doctor immediately when you feel the symptoms of yellow fever above, especially if you are or after a visit to endemic countries.
Yellow Fever Diagnosis
The following is an attempt by doctors to diagnose yellow fever:
- Asking questions regarding the patient's history of symptoms, including travel history to other areas and medical history
- Perform a complete physical examination from head to toe, including checking body temperature and blood pressure
- Perform a blood test to determine whether there is a virus in the blood or to detect antibodies that appear when the body is infected with a virus
Yellow fever is sometimes difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are quite common and resemble those of other diseases, such as malaria, typhoid, and dengue fever.
Yellow Fever Treatment
There is no cure for yellow fever other than your own immune system. However, there are several treatment methods that doctors can use to treat the symptoms you are experiencing, namely:
- Provides supplemental oxygen
- Give fever medicine and pain relievers, such as paracetamol
- Keep blood pressure stable with fluid infusion
- Perform blood transfusion procedures, in case of anemia due to bleeding
- Carry out dialysis procedures if you have kidney failure
- Give antibiotics or other treatment if yellow fever is accompanied by a bacterial infection
Complications of Yellow Fever
The following are some of the complications that can arise from yellow fever:
- Delirium
- Jaundice (jaundice)
- Myocarditis
- Pulmonary edema
- Hepatorenal syndrome
- Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
- Secondary bacterial infections, such as pneumonia and bloodstream infections
- Kidney failure
- heart failure
- Coma
- Death
Yellow Fever Prevention
Yellow fever is not an impossible condition to prevent. The following are some ways you can do to prevent yellow fever:
Vaccination
Vaccination is the most important way to prevent yellow fever. Some countries even require tourists to have an immunization certificate before entering the country
Therefore, if you have plans to go abroad, consult with your doctor about vaccination at least 3-4 weeks before departure.
One dose of yellow fever vaccine can provide protection for at least 10 years. Side effects from this vaccine are generally mild, such as headache, low-grade fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and pain at the injection site.
Yellow fever vaccine is safe to give to individuals from 9 months to 60 years of age. However, there are several categories of individuals that need special attention before vaccinating, namely:
- Baby less than 9 months
- Someone who is seriously allergic to egg protein
- A person with a very low immune system, such as a person with HIV/AIDS
- Pregnant women
- Someone who is over 60 years old
- Have you ever had a yellow fever infection?
Consult further with your doctor if you belong to one of the categories of individuals above and plan to get yellow fever vaccination.
Protection from mosquito bites
In addition to vaccination, the risk of yellow fever can also be reduced by protecting yourself from mosquito bites through the following measures:
- Wear long sleeves and long pants.
- Avoid a lot of outdoor activities.
- Choose a place to live that is equipped with windows with mosquito nets and air conditioning. If you don't have air conditioning and mosquito net windows, use mosquito nets.
- Use mosquito repellent lotion. However, be careful because mosquito repellent lotions can be toxic. Use as needed and don't overdo it. If you want to use mosquito repellent lotion on babies and children, use a product that is intended for babies and children.
- If necessary, use some natural ingredients that are also able to provide protection against mosquito bites, such as eucalyptus oil.
