Medical Term: Yellow fever     

Danger Zone: Africa and South America

Transmission: The yellow fever virus is transmitted through the saliva of mosquitoes.

What is it: Yellow fever is an acute viral disease.

Symptoms: Symptoms depend on severity. Mild yellow fever symptoms can include fever and headache, while a severe case will also include chills, rapid heartbeat, headaches, back pain, nausea, and vomiting. Jaundice occurs in many patients, giving the disease its name.

Prevention: Yellow fever vaccination, mosquito bite prevention (netting, repellant).

Fatal: The yellow fever virus is potentially fatal if untreated.

Yellow fever is highly dangerous due to the lack of a cure, but is also highly preventable due to the effective yellow fever vaccination. Some countries require a documented yellow fever vaccination certificate before your visit, so be sure to check with the Center for Disease Control and a medical professional before your trip. The immunization is good for ten years, and should be administered at least ten days before you visit your destination. Regulations regarding the yellow fever virus change, so peruse the latest yellow fever information available before your vacation to Africa of South America.

As with all diseases with mosquitoes acting as vectors, prevention aside from vaccine includes packing or purchasing proper bug netting, staying away from extreme mosquito populations, and using insect repellant and/or covering bare skin.