Speech Outline about the American Plague - Essay Example

An understanding of the disease’s history, causes, types, symptoms, treatment, and fatality, can raise awareness and help in its prevention.

Yellow fever originated in Africa and spread to South America through the slave trade in the sixteenth century.
Yellow fever epidemics periodically occurred in Europe, the Americas, and Africa, making it one of the most dangerous infectious diseases of the nineteenth century.
Yellow Fever is caused by the Flavivirus.
It is transmitted by several different species of the Aedes and Haemogogus mosquitoes, which serve as the vector for the virus.
The vector carries the virus from one host to another: between monkeys, between humans, and from monkey to human.

Yellow Fever is of three types:
- Sylvatic, or Jungle Yellow Fever which occurs in tropical rainforests.
- Intermediate Yellow Fever in semi-humid and humid Africa.
-  Urban Yellow Fever in densely populated areas

Stage 1 (infection): fever, muscle pain with prominent backache, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting.
Stage 2 (remission): Symptoms disappear, leading to recovery or
Stage 3 (intoxication): High fever, jaundice, abdominal pain with vomiting, heart, liver, and kidney failure, bleeding disorders, seizures, coma, and delirium.

There is no treatment except supportive care.

About fifty percent of severely affected individuals die of Yellow Fever.

Vaccination is the most effective preventive measure. It is safe, and affordable, becomes effective within a week, and a single dose provides 35 years of immunity.
Mosquito Control: Eliminating mosquito breeding sites, spraying pesticides in stagnant water, and using mosquito repellants and mosquito nets and screens.
Epidemic preparedness and response: This is important in areas where Yellow Fever is endemic.