Yellow Fever: Why The Shortage Of Vaccines Should 'Bug' You?
Yellow Fever: Why the Shortage of Vaccines Should ‘Bug’ You
Yellow fever - a tropical acute viral haemorrhagic disease - is a substantial burden that nearly a billion people in the world are currently vulnerable to. This disease is caused by a flavivirus that is transmitted via the bite of infected mosquitos. The name ‘yellow fever’ holds true to symptoms that are commonly associated with those infected which include jaundice, otherwise known as yellowing, of the skin and sclera due to liver damage. Severe cases result in shock, internal bleeding, jaundice and organ failure.
The infection is currently endemic, meaning always present, in forty seven countries including Africa (34) and Central and South America (13). In 2013 alone, 127,000 …show more content…
However the most recent outbreak of the disease was last year in Brazil where there have been 35 confirmed cases, having quickly tripled in early January, and 20 deaths as of early 2018. It is for these reasons that initiatives supported by the WHO has launched a mass vaccination project in Nigeria and Brazil in which the organization plans to vaccinate 25 million people and 24 million people respectively.
The WHO is deploying nearly 3000 vaccination teams in Nigeria, mainly focussed on camps for displaced inhabitants. The vaccination efforts in Brazil are mainly centered around Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo where cases of the disease has been mainly spreading.
A major roadblock for the mass vaccination initiatives in Nigeria and Brazil is the shortage of yellow fever prepared and available to be administered. Even within other countries such as the United States, supply of yellow fever vaccines are running low. The vaccine is not recommended for US residents unless they are planning to travel to tropical destinations where yellow fever is prevalent. This means that the production of vaccines is not a priority for drug companies and thus supplies are not prepared for a mass immunization campaign like those currently …show more content…
It was shown here that a lower dose was effective in conferring temporary immunity to the disease. This temporary immunity, however, is sufficient to contain outbreaks of the disease.
Officials in Brazil and Nigeria have been delivering these fractional doses, which consist of one-fifth of a full vaccine, in order to extend the current supplies and maximize the number of people vaccinated.
Although a partial dose is effective in providing immunity to the disease, a full dose of the vaccine is ideal as it confers lifelong immunity. This method is known to provide immunity for at least twelve months, but the full extent is unknown. Therefore, it is yet to be seen how well this solution will work in immunizing the vulnerable populations.
Yellow fever is currently preventable through the use of a vaccine that costs between $50 USD to $100 USD. This vaccine provides effective immunity within 30 days for 99% of persons vaccinated. It is critical to vaccinate at least 80% of populations at risk to reduce dangerous levels of transmission through herd
Yellow fever - a tropical acute viral haemorrhagic disease - is a substantial burden that nearly a billion people in the world are currently vulnerable to. This disease is caused by a flavivirus that is transmitted via the bite of infected mosquitos. The name ‘yellow fever’ holds true to symptoms that are commonly associated with those infected which include jaundice, otherwise known as yellowing, of the skin and sclera due to liver damage. Severe cases result in shock, internal bleeding, jaundice and organ failure.
The infection is currently endemic, meaning always present, in forty seven countries including Africa (34) and Central and South America (13). In 2013 alone, 127,000 …show more content…
However the most recent outbreak of the disease was last year in Brazil where there have been 35 confirmed cases, having quickly tripled in early January, and 20 deaths as of early 2018. It is for these reasons that initiatives supported by the WHO has launched a mass vaccination project in Nigeria and Brazil in which the organization plans to vaccinate 25 million people and 24 million people respectively.
The WHO is deploying nearly 3000 vaccination teams in Nigeria, mainly focussed on camps for displaced inhabitants. The vaccination efforts in Brazil are mainly centered around Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo where cases of the disease has been mainly spreading.
A major roadblock for the mass vaccination initiatives in Nigeria and Brazil is the shortage of yellow fever prepared and available to be administered. Even within other countries such as the United States, supply of yellow fever vaccines are running low. The vaccine is not recommended for US residents unless they are planning to travel to tropical destinations where yellow fever is prevalent. This means that the production of vaccines is not a priority for drug companies and thus supplies are not prepared for a mass immunization campaign like those currently …show more content…
It was shown here that a lower dose was effective in conferring temporary immunity to the disease. This temporary immunity, however, is sufficient to contain outbreaks of the disease.
Officials in Brazil and Nigeria have been delivering these fractional doses, which consist of one-fifth of a full vaccine, in order to extend the current supplies and maximize the number of people vaccinated.
Although a partial dose is effective in providing immunity to the disease, a full dose of the vaccine is ideal as it confers lifelong immunity. This method is known to provide immunity for at least twelve months, but the full extent is unknown. Therefore, it is yet to be seen how well this solution will work in immunizing the vulnerable populations.
Yellow fever is currently preventable through the use of a vaccine that costs between $50 USD to $100 USD. This vaccine provides effective immunity within 30 days for 99% of persons vaccinated. It is critical to vaccinate at least 80% of populations at risk to reduce dangerous levels of transmission through herd