Yellow Fever Vaccination

Yellow Fever is a serious and sometimes fatal viral disease that is spread by mosquitoes in tropical parts of Africa and South America. It occurs in both jungle and urban environments, and is particularly common in the rainy season.

Travel Vaccinations
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Yellow Fever + Certificate
£84 per dose
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Yellow Fever Replacement Certificate
£35 per dose
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Prevention

Yellow Fever cannot be treated effectively, but is preventable by vaccination. Travelers to areas at risk may require a single dose injection.

Countries at risk

Yellow Fever occurs in tropical parts of South America and sub-Saharan and West Africa.

Nearly all affected countries require proof of Yellow Fever vaccination in the form of an International Certificate of Vaccination before they allow a traveler to enter. Failure to provide a valid certificate can lead to a traveler being quarantined, immunised or denied entry.

Travel Precautions

Risk of acquiring Yellow Fever is determined by immunisation status, travel destination and its intensity level of Yellow Fever transmission, season of travel, duration of travel and activities allowing exposure to mosquitoes.

Signs and Symptoms

The first phase of Yellow Fever includes symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. After three to four days most patients improve and their symptoms disappear. However, within 24 hours of apparent recovery, some patients progress to a more serious stage of the illness involving jaundice, hemorrhagic fever and deterioration of kidney function. Some patients that develop this form of the disease die within 7-10 days after the onset.

FAQ's

Yellow Fever predominantly occurs in tropical parts of South America, Trinidad in the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan and West Africa with virtually all affected countries requiring proof of vaccination before entry is permitted. To be granted access, an International Certificate of Vaccination must be presented, and failure to do so can result in quarantine, immunisation or entry being denied.

For all patients, a single dose of the Yellow Fever vaccine costs £83 and comes with an International Certificate of Vaccination. This certificate is often required to enter virtually all affected countries, and a re-issue cost of £25 is charged should the original be lost, damaged or stolen. You can book vaccines online here, or, for more information, contact 020 8261 7548.

The Yellow Fever vaccine should be sourced a minimum of 10 days before travel; this allows enough time for your body to build immunity to the virus. The Yellow Fever International Certificate of Vaccination also only becomes valid ten days after vaccination, and some countries will deny entry until this time-frame has elapsed.

It is possible for the Yellow Fever vaccine to cause a very mild form of the disease, but this happens only in very rare cases. A vaccine, like any medicine, can cause a severe reaction, especially in the case of a live-virus vaccine like Yellow Fever, so doctors will be cautious about giving the vaccine to anyone with a weakened immune system.

As of February 16th 2017, the exhaustive list of countries requiring a Yellow Fever International Certificate of Vaccination from all inbound countries includes: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Togo. A more in-depth list exists for visitors who are arriving from countries with risk of Yellow Fever transmission.

Yellow Fever occurs in tropical and sub-tropical parts of South America, the Caribbean island of Trinidad and sub-Saharan and West Africa. The virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes, it cannot be transmitted from person to person. Large epidemics can occur when infected people introduce the virus into densely populated areas with high mosquito density and where most people have little or no immunity, due to lack of vaccination.

All individuals aged nine months or older and living in countries or areas at risk should receive the Yellow Fever vaccine. Yellow Fever is transmitted by a daytime biting mosquito and can be fatal, and the vaccine is encouraged, if not explicitly required when visiting parts of South America and sub-Saharan and West Africa. It is crucial to screen travel itineraries and carefully evaluate the potential risk of illness after Yellow Fever vaccination. Currently, there is no specific anti-viral drug for Yellow Fever, and vaccination is the only effective form of protection.

The Yellow Fever vaccine may lead to headaches, drowsiness, and muscle aches for as long as ten days after immunisation. However, reactions to the Yellow Fever vaccine are mild, except in rare cases. A single dose often provides life-long protection against the Yellow Fever disease, meaning that a booster dose is not needed.

Despite the use of a weakened live-virus, the Yellow Fever vaccine is no more painful than any other frequently-prescribed vaccines. However, side-effects of the Yellow Fever vaccine can occur as long as ten days after immunisation and can include headaches, drowsiness, and muscle aches. That being said, the risk of not being vaccinated usually outweighs the risk of side-effects quite substantially.