How is yellow fever different in travellers?

Travellers may have no symptoms at first, then develop fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea or marked tiredness. Some people improve, while others develop severe illness affecting the liver, blood clotting or several organs. The illness is not spread by ordinary casual contact; infected mosquitoes acquire the virus from a person and pass it on through a bite. A recent journey, vaccination history, time spent outdoors and mosquito bites help a clinician distinguish yellow fever from malaria, dengue and other causes of fever.

Tell a clinician promptly about every country visited, travel dates, rural or urban activities, mosquito exposure and vaccinations. Do not rely on a home diagnosis or take aspirin or ibuprofen for an unexplained travel fever unless a clinician advises it, because some travel infections can increase bleeding risk. Rest, drink fluids if you can, and use mosquito protection so local mosquitoes are less likely to bite you while you are unwell.

Seek urgent medical care for yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, confusion, repeated vomiting, bleeding, severe abdominal pain, breathing difficulty, fainting or worsening drowsiness. Any fever during or after travel to a yellow-fever-risk area deserves same-day medical advice, particularly if you are pregnant, immunocompromised or have liver disease.

Ask whether your travel itinerary included a yellow-fever-risk area, which tests are appropriate, whether other mosquito-borne infections must be excluded, and how to protect household members and future travel plans.