Yellow fever symptoms

The symptoms of yellow fever appear about 3 to 6 days after the bite of an Aedes Aegypti or Haemagogus Sabethes mosquito infected with the virus, which is called the acute phase of the disease.

After the acute phase, the symptoms may disappear for 1 or 2 days, but other, more severe symptoms that can lead to death quickly appear, giving rise to the toxic phase of yellow fever.

If you think you may be showing the first signs of yellow fever, take our test:

1. Very severe headache Yes No
2. Fever above 38º C with chills Yes No
3. Sensitivity to light Yes No
4. Generalized muscle pain Yes No
5. Nausea or vomiting Yes No
6. Increased heartbeat or palpitations Yes No

At a more advanced stage, symptoms of the toxic phase may arise, which are:

Jaundice, characterized by yellow skin and eyes; Abdominal pain; Vomiting with blood; Bleeding from the nose, mouth and eyes; Kidney and liver disease; Heart problems; Convulsions.

Yellow fever is not transmitted between people, it is only transmitted by mosquito bites and, therefore, the only preventive measure for yellow fever is through vaccination. See when the yellow fever vaccine should be done.

What to do in case of suspicion

In cases of suspected yellow fever it is very important to go quickly to an emergency room 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 must always be reported to the health authorities, as this is a disease with a high risk of causing an outbreak.

How the treatment is done

The treatment of yellow fever serves only to relieve the symptoms of the disease, as there is no treatment to eliminate the virus. Thus, it is usually done with admission to the hospital to make analgesic and antipyretic remedies, such as Paracetamol, directly in the vein, in order to reduce pain and fever.

During treatment, it is very important to avoid taking medications with acetylsalicylic acid, such as aspirin, as this substance increases the risk of developing bleeding, which can be life-threatening.

Find out more about how yellow fever is treated.