Читать книгу (101 things to know when you go) ON SAFARI IN AFRICA - Patrick Brakspear - Страница 34

This infection is caused by a virus carried by monkeys and then transmitted by mosquitoes to humans. The symptoms are a short, mild fever often leading to jaundice, failure of the liver and kidneys and eventually death. The yellow fever vaccine is effective and is valid for life (the WHO recently amended this from being valid for 10 years). The vaccination is generally only available in specialist clinics or hospitals and children, people over 65 years, and auto-immune sufferers should discuss the potential side-effects with their doctor.

Yellow Fever is the one immunization that is required when travelling to most West African countries as well as Uganda and Rwanda (and is still listed by the WHO as occurring in Kenya).

Following advice by the World Health Organisation (WHO) South Africa has become especially vigilant, and if you travel from any of the countries above they will request to see your Yellow Fever Certificate and refuse entry should you not be able to supply it (or insist you have the inoculation then and there!).

It is therefore advisable to have a valid yellow fever certificate if arriving at your destination from or via ANY of the following countries in Africa:

The Yellow Fever Endemic Zone in Africa includes Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, Togo, Benin, Sao Tome and Principe, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Somali, Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.

Medical reasons not to receive the vaccine:

 Infants under 9 months must not get immunized without consulting a doctor.

 Adults over 65 years of age should not get immunized without consulting a doctor.

 Persons severely allergic to eggs should not be given the vaccine. Generally, persons able to eat eggs or egg products can safely receive the vaccine.

 It is prudent on theoretical grounds to avoid vaccinating pregnant women, and for non-immunized pregnant women to postpone travel to epidemic areas until after delivery. Pregnant women who must travel to HIGH RISK areas should consult their doctor to discuss their specific situation.

 Persons, whose immune systems are suppressed due to HIV infection, or those travellers undergoing treatments for cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, etc.), or receiving corticosteroids, alkylating drugs, antimetabolites or radiation, in general, should not be vaccinated unless travelling to an area of known yellow fever transmission. Patients with suppressed immune systems have a theoretical risk of encephalitis due to the yellow fever vaccine virus. Consult your doctor.

If you have a medical reason not to receive the yellow fever vaccine you should obtain a written medical waiver from the respective consulate or embassy before leaving home.