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Yellow fever in the Americas
Charles S Bryan1, Sandra W Moss, Richard J Kahn
1Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 2 Medical Park, Suite 502, Columbia, SC 29203, USA. cbryan@richmed.medpark.sc.edu
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
|May 18, 2004
Summary
Yellow fever, introduced by Dutch traders, plagued the Americas for centuries. Its mosquito transmission, complicated by patient viremia and incubation periods, hindered control efforts.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health History
Background:
- Yellow fever was introduced to the Americas from Africa by Dutch slave traders in the mid-seventeenth century.
- The disease significantly impacted port cities across the Americas for over 250 years.
- Understanding its transmission vectors was crucial for disease control.
Observation:
- Delayed confirmation of the mosquito hypothesis was attributed to the short period of patient viremia.
- The extrinsic incubation period required for mosquitoes to become infectious also presented a challenge.
- Urban control measures targeting Aedes aegypti were insufficient due to transmission by forest-dwelling mosquitoes.
Findings:
- The mosquito hypothesis for yellow fever transmission was eventually supported.
- Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, particularly those breeding in tree holes in forest canopies, played a key role in transmission.
- The disease's complex transmission dynamics complicated eradication efforts.
Implications:
- Yellow fever remains a significant public health concern in parts of South America and Africa.
- Effective vector control strategies must consider diverse mosquito breeding sites and transmission cycles.
- Historical understanding of yellow fever outbreaks informs current disease prevention and management strategies.