About The Yellow Fever Vaccine

Yellow Fever (YF) vaccine is required for the countries within the endemic zone (shown below).

The Yellow Fever Vaccine has been in use since the 1930’s and over 300 million vaccines have been given since then.

The current vaccine is called Stamaril. It is an attenuated, live-virus preparation of the 17D strain of yellow fever virus grown in leucosis-free chick embryos and is very effective in preventing the disease. Being manufactured in chicken embryos, the vaccine is not recommended if you are allergic to eggs. If you can eat eggs in minute quantities in cooking, you can be vaccinated safely.

A single dose correctly given confers immunity in basically 100% of recipients. Immunity persists for at least 10 years and re-immunisation is currently recommended after 10 years.

This vaccine is given as a single injection given subcutaneously. If a country requires the vaccine for entry, travellers must allow at least 10 days before entering the country for vaccination.

If other live virus vaccines are necessary for travel (e.g. Tuberculosis, or Measles/Mumps/Rubella), they should be completed on the same day as the yellow fever vaccination. Otherwise, travellers may have to wait for one month before other live virus vaccines can be administered. The live-virus vaccines suppresses the immune system, and will reduce the effectiveness of the Yellow Fever vaccine.

The reverse is also true - yellow fever vaccinations cannot be given within one month of previous live-virus vaccinations.

Yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for babies under one year of age, in pregnant women or in those who have problems with their immune system such as AIDS sufferers or those on cancer chemotherapy.