18 June 2009

Revised yellow fever risk areas and changes to vaccine recommendations

Following a World Health Organization (WHO) consultation on yellow fever and international travel in September 2008, an informal working group consisting of the WHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NaTHNaC and other experts, has met to review the geographic risk of yellow fever. The initial outcome of this group has been a revision of the maps used by WHO and CDC to determine yellow fever risk during travel. These revised yellow fever risk maps have been published in International Travel and Health, and Health Information for International Travel 2010.

The NaTHNaC Country Information Pages have been updated accordingly.

Important changes to risk areas are as follows:

Africa

There is a risk of yellow fever in areas south of the Sahara Desert in the following countries:

• Chad
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Niger
• Sudan

Central and South America

In South America, increased yellow fever activity has resulted in the expansion of risk areas in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.  (See NaTHNaC News: Yellow fever in Brazil - expansion of risk areas, 17 June 2009.

NaTHNaC advice

NaTHNaC advises that health professionals use these revised maps to determine the risk of yellow fever during travel. Health professionals should be aware that these maps are schematic and the areas of risk are subject to change.

An ongoing review aiming to define yellow fever risk in individual countries is currently being undertaken by the working group. Further information will be posted on the NaTHNaC website as it becomes available.

Health professionals should always consult the NaTHNaC Country Information Pages for the most up-to-date information on yellow fever risk areas within countries. Both the disease risk to the traveller and vaccination certificate requirements must be considered when determining a traveller’s need for yellow fever vaccine.

Links

Map of areas in Africa with a risk of yellow fever

Map of areas in the Americas with a risk of yellow fever

World Health Organization International Travel and Health, 2009.