Yellow Fever & Hepatitis A&B Info - Yellow fever occurs in certain jungle locations of South America, where the virus is maintained in a cycle among forests, mosquitoes, and monkeys. In South America sporadic infections occur almost exclusively in forestry and agricultural workers who are exposed occupationally in or near forests. Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted between humans by a mosquito. General precautions to avoid mosquito bites should be followed. These include the use of insect repellent, protective clothing, and mosquito netting. Yellow fever is a very rare cause of illness in travelers, but most countries have regulations and requirements for yellow fever vaccination that must be met prior to entering the country.

 Yellow Fever Vaccine - This vaccine is administered as a one single injection. It can be administered by your local health department or a travel medicine clinic at a nearby major hospital. Family physicians will not have access to this vaccine. Do not receive the vaccine if you are allergic to eggs or are pregnant. The immunization, and resultant certificate, is valid 10 days after vaccination. You will not need a booster for 10 years.

Hepatitis A transmission may occur by direct person-to-person contact, from contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested from sewage-contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables or other foods which are eaten uncooked, but which may become contaminated during handling. Recent studies have shown that many cases of travel-related hepatitis A occur in travelers with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food and beverage consumption behaviors. Depending on the particular vaccine you receive, it is typically given in two doses, the second dose anywhere from 6-18 months after the first. Although much more difficult to contract (typically through IV drug use, sexual contact and other contacts with blood and body fluids), your local health department, travel medicine clinic or physician may advise a Hepatitis B vaccine as well.