Yellow Fever Treatment in Mumbai, India
Overview
Yellow fever is a life-threatening viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Found in tropical regions, it can lead to severe symptoms, organ failure, and even death. While no direct cure exists, vaccination and mosquito bite prevention remain crucial for safeguarding against this serious illness.
Types of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a high-threat disease with three types of transmission cycles:
- Sylvatic (or Jungle) Yellow Fever: This transmission occurs when monkeys get bitten by wild mosquitoes that pass the virus on other monkeys and humans. Humans can become infected when they are visiting or working in the jungle.
- Urban Yellow Fever: Its transmission happens via Aedes mosquitoes in urban areas. It can cause large epidemics when the virus is introduced to heavily populated areas. The virus can be introduced to an urban setting by a human who was infected in the jungle.
- Intermediate Yellow Fever: This transmission happens when semi-domestic mosquitoes infect monkeys and people. In this cycle, the virus is transmitted from monkey to human or from human to human via mosquitoes.
Yellow Fever Symptoms
Generally, yellow fever has a wide range of symptoms. They come with varying forms of severity.
- Initial Symptoms: The initial symptoms include fever, chills, muscle pain, headache and fatigue. Symptoms usually go away after 3 to 4 days.
- Severe Symptoms: The severe symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), abdominal pain, bleeding, and organ failure. In some cases, severe forms of yellow fever, like hemorrhagic fever, jaundice and organ failure, can also lead to death.
Yellow Fever Causes
This is caused by the yellow fever virus, which is transmitted through a bite by an infected mosquito. When mosquitoes bite a human or monkey with the virus, they become infected. The illness cannot spread from one human to another.
Greater contact between humans and infected mosquitoes, especially in areas where people aren’t vaccinated, can lead to small epidemics.
Stages of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever has three stages:
- Initial Stage (Infection): This stage includes flu-like symptoms like fever, chills and muscle pain.
- Remission Stage: In the remission stage, the symptoms go away and most people recover. However, the symptoms for some people get worse within 24 hours.
- Toxic Stage: The final stage consists of problems with many organs like the heart, liver and kidney. Bleeding disorders and seizures may also occur.
Yellow Fever Diagnosis
You should see your Fever doctor if you have flu-like symptoms and you have been travelling recently. After understanding your symptoms, your doctor might order a blood test for the yellow fever virus.
Yellow Fever Treatment Options
- Yellow fever cannot be treated with medication. To prevent illness, a vaccine is available.
- To lower temperature and ease hurting, use over-the-counter painkillers, rest, and drink plenty of water.
- Steer clear of certain medications that may raise the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
- Hospitalisation is recommended for individuals with severe yellow fever symptoms in order to provide supportive care and close monitoring.
- Avoid mosquito bites for up to five days after the onset of yellow fever symptoms if you have them after returning from a trip.
Prevention of Yellow Fever
You can prevent yellow fever with:
-
Yellow Fever Vaccination: Yellow fever vaccination is essential as it can help your body build immunity against the virus.
- Avoiding Mosquito Bites: You can prevent mosquito bites by using an insect repellent or wearing protective clothing.
- Travel Precautions: If you plan to travel internationally, check if you need vaccinations and travel with precaution.
Risk Factors for Yellow Fever
Some risk factors for yellow fever include:
- High-Risk Areas: Certain geographical locations are increasingly populated by infected mosquitoes, so the risk of developing the fever is high.
- Lack of Vaccination: You need to get properly vaccinated to prevent the virus, especially if you are travelling to high-risk areas.
- Exposure To Mosquitoes: If you are living in an endemic region with a large number of infected mosquitoes, then your chances of exposure to the illness are high.
Complications of Yellow Fever
The fever can lead to several complications:
- Liver Damage: Jaundice and liver damage are some of the complications of yellow fever. In some cases, it may also lead to liver failure.
- Kidney Damage: Kidney function can also be affected by yellow fever, leading to renal failure.
- Hemorrhagic Fever: Bleeding can occur in various parts of the body.
Conclusion
Vaccination for yellow fever is recommended especially if you are travelling to endemic regions. An infected human won’t transmit the virus to another person, but infected mosquitoes can. Taking steps to control mosquito breeding is the way to prevent yellow fever, and there are several options for yellow fever treatment in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is The Best Way to Prevent Yellow Fever?
The best way to prevent yellow fever is to safeguard yourself from mosquito bites and take necessary precautions before travelling.
2. Where Can I Get The Yellow Fever Vaccination in Mumbai?
Yellow fever vaccination in Mumbai can be found at both government and private healthcare facilities.
3. What are The Effects of Yellow Fever?
Some of the effects of yellow fever are fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea or vomiting.
4. When Should The Yellow Fever Vaccine Be Given?
The yellow fever vaccination is recommended to be given to infants at the age of 9–12 months along with the measles vaccine in endemic regions.
5. How Many Times is The Yellow Fever Vaccine Given?
Usually, a single dose of yellow fever vaccine offers lasting protection; a booster dose is not required. But if you are travelling to an area with ongoing outbreaks, you can consider getting a booster dose if it has been 10 years since you were vaccinated.