The symptoms of yellow fever appear about 3 to 6 days after the bite of a mosquito Aedes Aegypti or Haemagogus Sabethes infected with the virus, this being called the acute phase of the disease.
After the acute phase, the symptoms may disappear for 1 or 2 days, but other, more serious, symptoms that rapidly lead to death may give rise to the toxic phase of yellow fever.
If you think you may be having the first signs of yellow fever, try our test:
- 1. Severe headache Yes No
- 2. Fever above 38 ° C with chills Yes No
- 3. Light sensitivity Yes No
- 4. Generalized muscle pain Yes No
- 5. Nausea or vomiting Yes No
- 6. Increased heart rate or palpitations Yes No
Already in a more advanced phase, the symptoms of the toxic phase can appear which are:
- Jaundice, characterized by yellow skin and eyes;
- Abdominal pain;
- Vomiting with blood;
- Bleeding through nose, mouth and eyes;
- Kidney and liver disease;
- Heart problems;
- Convulsions.
Yellow fever is not transmitted between people, being transmitted only by the bite of the mosquito and, therefore, the only measure of prevention for yellow fever is through vaccination. See when to get a yellow fever vaccine.
What to do in case of suspicion
In cases of suspected yellow fever it is very important to go to an emergency room quickly to have a blood test and confirm the presence of the virus. It is also advised not to take any medication at home, as they may contain substances that worsen the symptoms of the disease.
All cases of yellow fever should always be reported to the health authorities, as this is a disease with a high risk of causing an outbreak.
How is the treatment done?
The treatment of yellow fever only serves to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, as there is no treatment to eliminate the virus. Thus, it is usually done with hospital admission to make analgesic and antipyretic medicines, such as Paracetamol, directly into the vein, in order to reduce pain and fever.
During treatment, it is very important to avoid taking medications with aspirin, as aspirin increases the risk of bleeding, which can be life-threatening.
Learn more about how yellow fever treatment is done.
How to protect yourself from yellow fever
Learn how feeding can act as a natural repellent to protect yourself from mosquito bites in this video:
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