Sylvia, Alexia, Pardis

Yellow Fever
Every year, 200,000 people become infected, and 30,000 people die, from yellow fever

Definition and measurements of mortality

-A viral disease spread by infected mosquitoes to humans and monkeys
-Fatality rate after contracting the disease ranges from 5% to 50%
-Symptoms
 Initial stage: Headache, vomiting, aches, fever
 Remission period: Most people recover fully
 Toxic stage: Liver/kidney failure, jaundice, delirium, coma
Spatial Diffusion
Northern South America and Mid-Africa. Few cases in Central America and N. America
Impact
-Throughout history, yellow fever has ravaged areas in Africa, Europe, and the Americas
-Prevalent in Africa (30 countries), South America (9 countries) and Caribbean islands
-Current outbreak in Paraguay since February 2008: 22 cases and 6 deaths (by March 6)
-Economic impacts
 Threat to forest industry and agriculture: e.g. South America
 Tourism, trade and business halt e.g. southern United States in the late 19th
century
 Riots leading to economic stagnation: e.g. Paraguay
-Social impacts
 Stigma against countries that use pesticides. This has lead to fewer insecticides to
kill the contagious and rapid growing bugs.
Potential Solutions
-Immunization with the 18-D vaccine
 Mass vaccination of at least 90% of the population to prevent outbreaks
-Preventative measures to reduce the mosquito population
 Using pesticides, destroying breeding grounds, quarantine
-Finding a cure
 In 2007, World Community Grid launched new project to use computer to create
model of virus, to be able to stop the replication of the virus
Action by Paraguay and the world
-Reduction of the mosquito population
 Encouraging people to eliminate potential breeding sites
 Arial spraying of pesticides in areas with higher risk of transmission
-Immunization:
 1.27 million people have been vaccinated in Paraguay (about 1/5 of population)
 Doses of the vaccine are being sent from Brazil, Peru and the W.H.O.
 South American countries have agreed to work with the Pan American Health
Organization in coordinating immunization along the border areas
Future of Paraguay
-Mass immunization campaigns to prevent future outbreaks
-Possible epidemic outbreaks in more urban areas that could cause more deaths
Sylvia, Alexia, Pardis