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Doctors for Yellow Fever 
OTC Medicines for Yellow Fever
What is yellow fever?
This is a serious viral infection spread by the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, commonly found in Africa, and central and South America. It is also known as yellow jack or yellow plague. Only those mosquitoes infected with the yellow fever virus can cause yellow fever after biting. Some individuals also get signs of jaundice-like yellowing of the skin and white portion of the eyes; thus the term ‘yellow’.
What are its main signs and symptoms?
The symptoms can be classified based on the stage of yellow fever:
- Loss of appetite, fever, jaundice, flushing, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, flushing, and vomiting are the common symptoms experienced in stage 1.
- The symptoms of stage 1 disappear, and most individuals get well. But in some cases, the symptoms reappear after 24 hours.
- Problems of the liver, heart, and kidney; bleeding disorders; coma; blood in stool; delirium; bleeding nose, eyes, and mouth are the severe symptoms experienced in stage 3.
What are the main causes?
The bite of an infected mosquito causes yellow fever. The symptoms start developing three to six days after the individual has been bitten.
How is it diagnosed and treated?
Diagnosis generally involves a physical examination for the presence of symptoms. The doctor may ask you various questions to check if you have any other symptoms of yellow fever. If the doctor suspects the presence of yellow fever, he will order a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. The blood test may also reveal the failure of organs like the liver and kidney.
Specific treatment is not available, but symptomatic treatment methods generally prescribed include:
- Blood and blood product transfusion in case of severe bleeding
- Dialysis in case of kidney failure
- Intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration or compensate for the fluid loss
Yellow fever can be prevented by getting vaccinated before travelling to a yellow fever prone area.
