Do Mosquitoes Cause Yellow Fever?

Fortunately, a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides you with lifelong immunity to the disease. Typically, the vaccine is not given until you are nine months old.

Yellow fever is a viral infection that is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus can cause damage to the liver and internal organs. It is also associated with bleeding, high fevers, and severe jaundice. In severe cases, the virus may cause delirium, seizures, and death.

Most cases of yellow fever are mild. However, there are rare cases of severe infection. In these cases, a person may experience severe headaches, fever, loss of appetite, and muscle aches. Symptoms may begin within three to six days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito.

If a person develops severe symptoms of yellow fever, he or she should seek immediate medical attention. It is also important to drink a lot of fluids, since dehydration is a common complication of yellow fever. It is also advisable to wear clothes that cover arms and legs, use mosquito repellent, and get plenty of rest.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector of the dengue virus, and it is also the vector of yellow fever. Mosquitoes in the New World can transmit yellow fever virus, and a single mosquito bite is sufficient to infect a person.

Although yellow fever can be fatal, most cases are mild. About 15 percent of patients develop a severe illness.