After several death experts, Brazil travelers recommend yellow fever vaccination

Brazil tourists should definitely be vaccinated against yellow fever

Brazil travelers should be vaccinated against yellow fever, according to health experts. The South American country has been suffering from a severe yellow fever epidemic for some time now, which has already claimed hundreds of lives. Even tourists have been infected with the dangerous infectious disease.

Traveler is recommended vaccination

Brazil has been suffering from a severe yellow fever epidemic for a long time. The tropical disease has already killed hundreds of people in the South American country. European travelers, too, have become infected with the dangerous disease and are sometimes ill only in their home countries. Health experts advise Brazil travelers therefore urgently to yellow fever vaccine.

Health experts strongly advise Brazil travelers to yellow fever vaccine. In the South American country, several tourists have been infected with the dangerous tropical disease in recent months. (Image: Richard Villalon / fotolia.com)

After returning from Brazil fell ill
As the Center for Travel Medicine (CRM) in Dusseldorf tells, in January a tourist on his return from Brazil in the Netherlands suffered from yellow fever.

The 46-year-old Dutchman returned to his home country after spending several weeks in Maripora in the São Paulo metropolitan area.

He suffered from high fever, headache and muscle aches, nausea and vomiting and diarrhea.

The Erasmus University Hospital Rotterdam confirmed the suspicion of yellow fever against which the traveler was not vaccinated.

Tourists died

According to CRM, more infections became known to tourists in mid-February.

Accordingly, a 35-year-old and a 20-year-old Chilean have been on the Isla Grande off the south coast of Rio de Janeiro since December and have died there.

An Argentine, a Romanian and a Swiss have probably been infected in the same region. In mid-February, the first infection was confirmed in the city of Sao Paulo, and a French tourist fell ill after a stay in the state of Minas Gerais.

Largest yellow fever outbreak of the last 30 years

According to reports, 545 infections including 164 deaths were officially confirmed in the following states since July last year: Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and the Federal District. Most cases were registered in December and January.

The authorities have asked the population to vaccinate. Previously, numerous monkeys had died of the infection in the region. Between December 2016 and August 2017, the largest yellow fever outbreak of the last 30 years has been recorded.

The hardest hit was the southeast of the country. Health experts such as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a yellow fever vaccine when traveling to Brazil.

Infection can be deadly

The CRM also advises travelers for protection. "Yellow fever infections can be fatal," said Professor Dr. Tomas Jelinek, Scientific Director of CRM.

"The vaccine, on the other hand, is highly effective and provides reliable protection."

This is already ten days after vaccination on average at 80 to 100 percent, 30 days thereafter, an immunity of virtually 100 percent is given.

"We therefore recommend travelers with Destination Brazil to be vaccinated against yellow fever no later than ten days before departure," says the expert.

"In addition, they should, for example, in the context of travel medical advice to inform about what measures they can take to avoid mosquito bites."

Wearing bright, loose clothes and using mosquito nets are ways to help against annoying mosquitoes.

Above all, the chemical defense is effective. As mosquito repellent agents are recommended with the active ingredient DEET (diethyltoluamide).

Spread in tropical regions

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), vaccination against yellow fever when traveling in high-risk areas is strongly recommended. "Yellow fever is often fatal and there is no specific therapy," say the experts.

The infectious disease occurs in tropical areas on both sides of the Atlantic and is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. South America is particularly affected by Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

WHO estimates that there are up to 200,000 deaths and 60,000 deaths per year worldwide, most of them in African countries.

In cases of infection, general symptoms of illness such as fever, headache and nausea first appear after an incubation period of three to six days.

Most patients recover afterwards. In some cases, after a short improvement, however, a second fever period with bleeding, vomiting and organ damage follows. A typical sign is also the jaundice. Furthermore, it can lead to convulsions and confusion.

In severe cases, up to 50 percent of infections can be fatal. (Ad)