History of Yellow Fever
By what year had yellow fever disappeared from the United States?
1905
Who helped people understand how yellow fever spread?
Dr. Walter Reed
How is yellow fever transmitted?
By mosquitoes
What substance was used to kill mosquitoes in buildings?
Special smoke or fumes
What year marked Brazil’s worst yellow fever outbreak in decades?
2016
What major construction project was made safer after controlling mosquitoes?
The Panama Canal
Who developed the first yellow fever vaccine in 1936?
Dr. Max Theiler
What type of mosquito primarily spreads yellow fever?
Aedes aegypti
Why did some people in Brazil avoid getting vaccinated during recent outbreaks?
False rumors about the vaccine
What natural factor temporarily slowed yellow fever spread in 2016?
Cooler weather
What method did early public health officials use to stop mosquitoes from laying eggs?
Spraying oil on water
What belief did Walter Reed advocate for in scientific experiments?
Volunteers should be fully informed of all risks.
How long must the virus remain in a mosquito before it can infect a person?
Up to 17 days
What two animal discoveries helped scientists develop the yellow fever vaccine?
Monkeys could get yellow fever, and the virus could grow in laboratory mice.
Why did the 2018 yellow fever outbreak in Brazil worsen?
Delayed government response and vaccine misinformation.
What did scientists discover in 1927 about yellow fever?
It is caused by a virus.
This scientist was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize in medicine.
Dr. Carlos Finlay
What condition must occur for mosquitoes to pick up the virus from a patient?
The mosquito must bite the patient within the first three days of the illness.
How many companies currently produce the yellow fever vaccine?
Three (in France, Brazil, and Senegal)
What do health workers in Brazil carry vaccines in during their outreach?
Coolers
What deadly epidemic occurred in Ethiopia in the early 1960s?
A yellow fever outbreak that killed 30,000 people.
Which researcher concluded that yellow fever was caused by a microbe smaller than bacteria?
Dr. James Carroll
Where do infected female mosquitoes pass the virus?
Through their eggs.
What challenges hinder modern vaccination efforts?
High demand, limited supply, and vaccine misinformation.
What is the term for the crowded urban areas at high risk for yellow fever spread?
Slums