The state of São Paulo recorded the first death of the year due to yellow fever. In addition to this case, other people infected with the virus have been identified in the country, but they continue to recover. This scenario raised an alert for health authorities.
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute febrile infectious disease, vaccine-preventable, with an abrupt evolution and variable severity, with high lethality in its severe forms, informs the Ministry of Health.
The disease is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, and has two transmission cycles: urban and wild. In the urban cycle, transmission occurs from infected urban vectors (Ae. aegypti). In the sylvatic cycle, the transmitters are mosquitoes with predominantly sylvatic habits, with the genera Haemagogus and Sabethes being the most important.
The condition gets its name because the person turns yellow, as the infection increases the presence of bilirubin in the body. The substance results from damage to the liver as a result of fever, which leads to liver failure.
“The consequences of liver failure, most of the time, lead to the person dying”, points out Dr. Julio Henrique Onita, infectious disease specialist at Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz.
Additionally, yellow fever can lead to other conditions, such as encephalitis, causing mental confusion. The problem also puts lives at risk.
Yellow fever symptoms
According to the infectologist, like any viral disease, the main manifestations are malaise, body pain, decline in general condition and abdominal pain (when the liver begins to become inflamed).
“These manifestations appear quickly, within a week the patient is already quite ill. It’s a very aggressive evolution”, warns the doctor.
Prevention
The main way to prevent yellow fever is with the vaccine. Since April 2017, Brazil has adopted a vaccination schedule of just one dose for a lifetime, a measure that is in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Therefore, every person who lives in Areas with Yellow Fever Vaccine Recommendation and people who will travel to these areas must be immunized at least 10 days before traveling.
Furthermore, Dr. Julio Henrique recommends the use of mosquito barriers, such as screens and repellents.
