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The enigma of yellow fever in East Africa
Author(s) -
Ellis Brett R.,
Barrett Alan D. T.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
reviews in medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.06
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1654
pISSN - 1052-9276
DOI - 10.1002/rmv.584
Subject(s) - yellow fever , outbreak , aedes aegypti , natural history , dengue fever , population , geography , aedes , zika virus , public health , virology , yellow fever vaccine , socioeconomics , environmental health , medicine , virus , biology , ecology , nursing , sociology , larva
Despite a safe and effective vaccine, there are approximately 200 000 cases, including 30 000 deaths, due to yellow fever virus (YFV) each year, of which 90% are in Africa. The natural history of YFV has been well described, especially in West Africa, but in East Africa yellow fever (YF) remains characterised by unpredictable focal periodicity and a precarious potential for large epidemics. Recent outbreaks of YF in Kenya (1992–1993) and Sudan (2003 and 2005) are important because each of these outbreaks have involved the re‐emergence of a YFV genotype (East Africa) that remained undetected for nearly 40 years and was previously unconfirmed in a clinically apparent outbreak. In addition, unlike West Africa and South America, YF has yet to emerge in urban areas of East Africa and be vectored by Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti . This is a significant public health concern in a region where the majority of the population remains unvaccinated. This review describes historical findings, highlights a number of disease indicators, and provides clarification regarding the natural history, recent emergence and future risk of YF in East Africa. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.