yellow fever

yellow fever

noun

Definition of YELLOW FEVER

: an acute infectious disease of warm regions (as sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America) marked by sudden onset, prostration, fever, and headache and sometimes albuminuria, jaundice, and hemorrhage and caused by a flavivirus (species Yellow fever virus of the genus Flavivirus) transmitted especially by the yellow-fever mosquito

First Known Use of YELLOW FEVER

1739

yellow fever

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of YELLOW FEVER

: an acute infectious disease of warm regions (as sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America) marked by sudden onset, prostration, fever, and headache and sometimes albuminuria, jaundice, and hemorrhage and caused by a single-stranded RNA virus of the genus Flavivirus (species Yellow fever virus) transmitted especially by the yellow-fever mosquito—called also yellow jack

yellow fever

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Acute infectious tropical disease, sometimes occurring in temperate zones. Abrupt onset of headache, backache, fever, nausea, and vomiting is followed by either recovery with immunity or by higher fever, slow pulse, and vomiting of blood. Patients may die in a week. Jaundice is common (hence the name). One of the world's great plagues for 300 years, it is caused by a virus transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. Carlos Finlay suggested and Walter Reed proved this means of spread, leading to near elimination of the disease through mosquito control (see William Gorgas). Treatment consists of supportive care, particularly fever reduction. Control of mosquitoes near cities and live-virus vaccines—developed by Max Theiler (1899–1972), who won a 1951 Nobel Prize for his work—have made yellow fever completely preventable.