Yellow Fever

Yellow fever (YF) is a potentially fatal viral disease that results in jaundice, bleeding, and damage to the major organs. No anti-viral drug treatment exists for YF, and care entails managing the symptoms. Luckily, there is a YF vaccine.¹

YF is spread by mosquitoes in parts of Africa, Central and South America, and in Trinidad in the Caribbean. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that YF has been found in 34 African countries and that the mosquitoes that carry the disease are common in many urban areas of that continent. In South America, an increased number of YF cases was reported in a wider geographic area in 2025 as compared to 2024.²

Before traveling, check your destination’s vaccine recommendations on TravelHealthPro’s

Country Information pages.³ Note that some countries that don’t have YF still require an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) from people arriving—even for a brief layover—from a country with a risk of yellow fever exposure.⁴ In addition, if you are going to an area prone to YF, be sure to follow mosquito bite avoidance advice.⁵

The British National Travel Health Network and Centre recommends that before traveling you get an appointment with a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre (YFVC) to get advice about your risk of yellow fever, to determine if the yellow fever vaccine is suitable for you, and to find out if you’ll be required to have an ICVP. Emcare Travel Clinic, which is located in the heart of Glasgow, is a YFVC. Our nurses will meticulously review your itinerary, conduct a thorough risk assessment, administer the YF vaccine (and any other essential travel injections) if deemed necessary, and provide health advice tailored to your specific trip. Arrange an appointment today by calling 0141 404 0075 or by booking online.

Sources

1. Yellow fever factsheet, TravelHealthPro, accessed 20 August 2025, https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/18/yellow-fever.
2. Yellow fever update, TravelHealthPro, published 18 June 2025, accessed 20 August 2025, https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/news/765/yellow-fever-update.
3. Country Information, TravelHealthPro, accessed 20 August 2025, https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries.
4. International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP): Yellow Fever Vaccination Documentation, Centers for Disease Control, Travelers Health, accessed 20 August 2025, https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/icvp.
5. Insect and tick bite avoidance, TravelHealthPro, accessed 20 August 2025, https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/38/insect-and-tick-bite-avoidance.