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This virus is referred to as yellow fever because it results in yellow skin and eyes, called jaundice, in those that do not recover quickly and are severely affected by the disease.
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Common symptoms of yellow fever include nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, fever, and jaundice.
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Once the first phase of the disease ends, a small number of people will enter the second phase, usually within 24 hours of the end of the first phase.
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During the second phase, which is considered a very toxic phase, the skin and eyes develop jaundice.
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Approximately half of those who enter the second phase will develop hemorrhagic bleeding and death usually occurs by day 10.
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Yellow fever is endemic to Central and South America and Africa.
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In 2006 a mass vaccination campaign was launched, resulting in the vaccination of more than 105 million people.
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There have been no further yellow fever outbreaks in West Africa since 2015.
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The worst spread of yellow fever occurs when infected individuals enter a highly populated area where people are not vaccinated and have no immunity. Mosquitos then transmit the virus quite easily from person to person.
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The yellow fever vaccine provides protection for life.
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In the early stages of the disease it can be difficult to distinguish yellow fever from other diseases such as malaria and viral hepatitis, as well as other types of hemorrhagic fevers.
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There are three transmission cycles of yellow fever including sylvatic, intermediate and urban.
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With sylvatic yellow fever mosquitos bite infected monkeys and pass it on to humans in tropical rainforest regions.
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With intermediate yellow fever wild and domestic mosquitos infect people and monkeys - this type spreads because of human to human contact and is the most common method of transmission in African outbreaks.
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With urban yellow fever an outbreak occurs when infected people transmit the disease due to mosquito bites.
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Treatment involves hospital care to manage fever, dehydration, and failure of the liver and kidneys.
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People traveling to regions that may have yellow fever should be vaccinated, as should those living in areas putting them at high risk for infection.
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There is no cure as of yet for yellow fever.
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