Abstract

YGLESIAS-ROSALES, Marvin; RODRIGUEZ-GONZALEZ, Andrea  and  ROJAS-MONTERO, Manuel. Fiebre amarilla: un peligro latente. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2005, vol.47, n.3, pp.118-125. ISSN 0001-6002.

Yellow fever is an acute febrile zoonosis, catalogued as a hemorrhagic fever that is potentially deadly. It is caused by an arbovirus and transmitted by an arthropod; there are two known epidemiologic modalities, and it has an endemic area that comprises most of South America and part of the African continent. In Costa Rica the last outbreak of yellow fever was in the fifties. The physiopathology of yellow fever is not well known. Most of the infections are symptomatic and have a high mortality that varies from outbreak to outbreak. The diagnosis is definitely confirmed by serology and although this test isn’t performed in Costa Rica, the suspicious samples are sent to Panamanian labs. Taking into consideration its high mortality and the lack of specific treatment, it’s obvious that the only way to deal with yellow fever is to get rid of the vector and prevention with massive vaccination in endemic areas. Yellow fever continues to be an entity that considerably affects public health in several countries; Costa Rica has quite a few conditions that will ease its appearance and dissemination, that’s why this is a disease which’s characteristics are convenient to keep handy

Keywords : Arbovirus; yellow fever; zoonosis; haemorragic fever.