Yellow Fever: A Reemerging Threat

• Published in: Clinics in laboratory medicine Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 237 - 260
• Main Authors: Gardner, Christina L., PhD, Ryman, Kate D., PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-03-2010
• Subjects: Aedes - virology; Animals; Emerging disease; Humans; Insect Vectors - virology; Mosquito-borne; Pathology; Transmission; Vaccine; Virus Replication; Yellow Fever - diagnosis; Yellow Fever - epidemiology; Yellow Fever - prevention & control; Yellow Fever - transmission; Yellow Fever Vaccine - adverse effects; Yellow Fever Vaccine - immunology; Yellow fever virus; Yellow fever virus - genetics; Yellow fever virus - physiology; Yellow fever virus - ultrastructure; Mosquito-borne; Vaccine; Emerging disease; Transmission; Yellow fever virus
• ISSN: 0272-2712; 1557-9832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2010.01.001

Yellow fever (YF) is a viral disease, endemic to tropical regions of Africa and the Americas, which principally affects humans and nonhuman primates and is transmitted via the bite of infected mosquitoes. Yellow fever virus (YFV) can cause devastating epidemics of potentially fatal, hemorrhagic disease. Despite mass vaccination campaigns to prevent and control these outbreaks, the risk of major YF epidemics, especially in densely populated, poor urban settings, both in Africa and South America, has greatly increased. Consequently, YF is considered an emerging, or reemerging disease of considerable importance. This article comprehensively reviews the history, microbiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of YFV, as well as the vaccines produced to combat YF.