Home Remedies and Herbs for Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a viral infection that is spread through certain types of mosquitoes. Yellow fever is most common in sub-saharan Africa, South America and certain areas of the Caribbean. There are vaccinations available for yellow fever, however, it is a rare condition among travellers to these parts of the world.^{1 2} Yellow fever cases can range from mild to severe and can potentially be fatal. Since 1996, there have been only 6 documented cases of North American and European travellers dying from yellow fever.¹

What Causes Yellow Fever?

The known yellow fever cause is due to a viral infection. The virus is spread to humans by a mosquito bite from an infected mosquito. The mosquito that carries the yellow fever virus is called the Aedes aegypti mosquito.³ These types of mosquitoes thrive and breed in human habitats and can even live in clean water supplies. Mosquitoes can even spread yellow fever between humans and monkeys.³ The mosquitoes that spread yellow fever are typically more active during daylight hours.¹

Yellow fever enters the human bloodstream after an infected mosquito has bitten them. The virus then circulates throughout the body before settling in the salivary glands, leading the yellow fever cause in humans.³ Yellow fever cause is not due to being spread by human to human contact. Humans can only be infected with yellow fever through the bite of an infected mosquito.¹

Yellow Fever Symptoms

Yellow fever symptoms don’t start until after the incubation period. This is the first 3-6 days following the bite from the infected mosquito. After the incubation period, yellow fever enters an acute phase and can sometimes become life-threatening if it develops into a toxic phase.⁴ Yellow fever symptoms in the acute phase include:^{1 4}

• Headache and muscle aches
• High fever
• Light sensitivity
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness
• Loss of appetite
• Red eyes, face and/or tongue

Yellow fever symptoms in the acute phase usually last between 3-4 days and most people make a full recovery.^{1 4} The toxic phase of yellow fever produces severe, life-threatening symptoms like jaundice, liver and kidney failure and bleeding from the nose, mouth and eyes.^{1 4} Yellow fever natural remedies can help to control acute phase symptoms including lowering fever, improving body aches and preventing nausea and vomiting. Taking yellow fever natural remedies can help improve recovery time.

References

1. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Yellow-fever/Pages/Introduction.aspx
2. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/yellow-fever/basics/definition/con-20032263
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/yellow-fever/basics/causes/con-20032263
4. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/yellow-fever/basics/symptoms/con-20032263