San José, Costa Rica. May, 2016.

Thinking of travelling to Peru, Brazil or maybe a further away and more exotic destination such as Senegal or Nigeria? In that case, it is important to get a vaccine against yellow fever.

The last case of yellow fever that was registered in Costa Rica was in 1953 in Río Cuarto de Grecia in the province of Alajuela. People who travel to any of the countries with yellow fever risk must get a vaccine at least 10 days before their departure if they have intentions of returning to the country. This information will be verified by the airline personnel before boarding the plane since it is mandatory.

Those returning from a high risk zone and who wish to enter Costa Rica must submit the international vaccine certificate against yellow fever, which is valid up to 10 days after having applied the vaccine and which should be shown to the corresponding authorities at ports, airports and other border posts.

Why 10 days?

Yellow fever is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes infected with the virus (Haemagogus sp in the jungle and Aedes aegypti in urban zones).

Yellow fever is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes infected with the virus (Haemagogus sp in the jungle and Aedes aegypti in urban zones).

Once the mosquito bites a person, the virus takes an incubation period of three to six days. When this term has been fulfilled, the patient may have symptoms such as fever, intense muscular pains (especially backaches and headaches, chills, loss of appetite and nausea or vomit). Afterwards, most of the patients improve and the discomfort disappears after three or four days.

Yellow fever is difficult to diagnose in its early stages because its symptoms are confused with those of other virus.

It´s more dangerous after 24 hours of having the symptoms, when 15% of the patients experience fever again. It is then when other organs begin to be affected and vomits, abdominal pain, a yellow coloring of the skin, oral, nasal ocular or gastric bleedings may appear. In fact, it is common to find blood in the feces or in the vomit and the kidney functions may be altered. Those who reach this phase may even die at the end of 10 to 14 days of having the virus.

Therefore, it is important to give that time margin for the vaccine to be effective and one can discard yellow fever.

Where is the vaccine against yellow fever available?

Remember that due to sanitary regulations, the vaccine against yellow fever should be applied before travelling to South America or Africa, areas where the risk exists in several countries.

One sole injection is enough and a reinforcement should be applied every ten years. The vaccine can be found at the Hospital Clínica Bíblica.

In order to obtain further information, or to request an appointment in any of the medical specialties, you may contact the private hospital Clínica Bíblica al teléfono 2522-1000,email contacto@clinicabiblica.com or via chat at the website: clinicabiblica.com.