Posts Tagged ‘yellow fever’
Vaccinating your child can be a difficult decision for the average parent. If your child has an underlying condition such as allergies, diabetes, cancer, or an immune disorder, vaccinations can be deadly. It is essential to know which, if any, versions of a vaccination are safe.
If you are a part to a child with allergies, many vaccinations contain allergy-prone ingredients. Milk, eggs, and gelatin are only a small sampling of the ingredients. If your child is allergic to common antibiotics (streptomycin, neomycin, or polymyxin B), avoid the polio and chickenpox vaccines.
Children who are allergic to eggs will need to skip vaccines for Yellow Fever, Influenza, and some versions of MMR. Check with your doctor as some MMR vaccines contain a miniscule amount of egg and are considered safe. Allergies to gelatin may be aggravated by vaccinations for MMR, chickenpox, and Yellow Fever.
Members of the military must receive shots beyond what the typical man, woman, and child receive. Beyond, the usual childhood vaccines and adult boosters, military receive vaccines for uncommon illnesses.
The smallpox vaccine includes a series of fifteen needle pricks. Following the injections, the injection site is not to be touched (anyone touching the injection site can become infected). After a week, the doctor inspects the site to make sure there is a clear sign of reaction on the skin.
If signs show the reaction, then the doctor knows the body has created the necessary antibodies from the injection. Common side effects are swollen lymph glands and a moderate fever. 1 of every 10,000 people vaccine develops swelling in the brain or cardiac problems that can lead to death.
Traveling to other countries often requires additional vaccinations. While you must have proof that your vaccines are up to date (MMR, Tetanus, Diphtheria, etc.), you may need to be vaccinated against rare diseases. It depends on the country you will be visiting.
If you are going to Mexico, Central America, Trinidad and Tobago, or South America, the vaccine for Yellow Fever is required in most rural areas. Vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, Rabies, and Typhoid are recommended. It is also urged that you see your health care provider for a prescription for anti-malarial drugs before you leave.
Travelers to Western and Eastern Europe do not need additional vaccinations. However, it is recommended that you receive the vaccine for Hepatitis A and B. If you are going to a warmer area (Spain, Greece) where mosquitoes may be present, you will want a prescription for anti-malarial medication.
Only humans and monkeys can contract Yellow Fever, yet the disease is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Currently, you can only contract Yellow Fever if you travel to South America’s tropical areas or certain regions of Africa (Saharan).
Yellow Fever is a virus that mimics the flu. Common symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, muscle pain, and backache. The symptoms tend to disappear after four days. In 15% of those infected, the fever reappears and leads to hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever (bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes, and intestines.) If hemorrhagic fever hits, odds are high that the ailing patient will die within ten days. Those who are able to recover count themselves as being very lucky.