Yellow Fever Vaccine

Yellow fever vaccine may prevent yellow fever that may occur with infection due to the yellow fever virus which is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Infection with yellow fever virus may not cause symptoms or can cause the following: a flu-like illness that can lead to life-threatening infection throughout the body including the liver, kidney, GI tract, and brain.

Yellow fever vaccine contains live virus that has been weakened so it does not cause disease but can still stimulate the body to make antibodies against the virus to provide a defense against potential infection.

Yellow fever vaccine comes as a suspension (liquid) to be given subcutaneously (under the skin) by a healthcare provider.

Yellow fever vaccine is given as a single dose. A booster dose may be given to those who were previously vaccinated at least 10 years ago and require protection against yellow fever.

Tell your vaccine provider if you:

• have had an allergic reaction to this vaccine, any part of this vaccine, any other vaccine or any drug, food or substance. Tell your vaccine provider about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
• are taking immunosuppressive medications, are receiving radiation treatment, or have a condition that causes immunosuppression such as AIDS/HIV infection or cancer.
• are pregnant. Yellow fever vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy. Talk to your vaccine provider about the right time to receive this vaccine.
• are breastfeeding. Yellow fever vaccine is not recommended while breastfeeding.
• have received another vaccine in the last month.

In some cases, your health care provider may decide to postpone vaccination to a future visit.

Side effects that have been reported with yellow fever vaccine include:

• pain, swelling, or hardness at the site of injection
• headache
• fever
• muscle aches

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• rash, hives, or difficulty breathing or swallowing

People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including vaccination. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy or have vision changes or ringing in the ears.

Adverse reactions should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your health care provider will usually file this report, or you can do it yourself. Visit https://vaers.hhs.gov or call 1-800-822-7967. VAERS is only for reporting reactions, and VAERS staff members do not give medical advice.

• Read the Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) that your vaccine provider will give you or you can obtain it at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/current-vis/index.html
• Ask your healthcare provider.
• Call your local or state health department.

• YF-VAX^®