Current assessment of yellow fever and yellow fever vaccine

Yellow fever (YF) is a mosquito-borne viral illness that causes hemorrhagic fever in tropical Africa and South America. Although a very safe and efficient vaccine (17D) is available, it is underused. An estimated 200,000 people are still infected annually, and YF remains a major public health concern. This article reviews the recent data on YF epidemiology, virology, and immunity, and analyzes the rare postvaccination adverse effects that have been recently reported. YF vaccine should be included in the expanded program of immunization for children and sustained for people living in or traveling to endemic areas. A surveillance of vaccinated people also should be reinforced. New research programs should be developed to identify molecular markers of YF virus tropism and attenuation, and to understand mechanisms of host responses to virus infection. Copyright © 2004 by Current Science Inc.