Yellow Fever Vaccine : Before Using

Yellow Fever Vaccine - Systemic

Brand Names

YF-Vax Yellow Fever Vaccine *** Before Using *** Side Effects

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For yellow fever vaccine, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to yellow fever vaccine. Also tell your family doctor if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods - especially eggs and chicken, preservatives, or dyes. The yellow fever vaccine available in the USA and Canada is grown in chick embryo cell culture so it may contain egg or chicken protein.

If you are allergic to eggs or chicken, your family doctor may have to do a skin test before giving you the vaccine. However, if you need the vaccine because of international travel requirements, not because you are traveling to a country where there is a high risk of getting yellow fever, you may ask your family doctor for a waiver letter stating the reason why you can't be vaccinated.

Pregnancy care

Yellow fever vaccine may cause birth defects. Therefore, it is not recommended for use in pregnant women, especially in the first 3 months of pregnancy, unless they are at high risk of getting yellow fever. Pregnant women who have not already been immunized are generally advised to postpone their travel and vaccination until after giving birth.

If travel to high-risk areas can't be postponed, pregnant women must be vaccinated. The risk of getting serious problems from infection with yellow fever in those areas is much greater than the risk of getting a serious side effect from the vaccine for both the mother and the fetus.

However, a pregnant woman who needs the vaccine because of international travel requirements, not because she is traveling to a country where there is a high risk of getting yellow fever, may ask the family doctor for a waiver letter - official-looking on letterhead stationery stating why she can't be vaccinated.

Breast-feeding problem

Yellow fever vaccine has not been shown to cause problems in nursing babies.

Use for Children

Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for children 9 months of age or older if they are traveling to, or living in, areas where there is yellow fever infection, or if they are traveling to areas that require yellow fever immunization - certificate of vaccination. In special cases, such as high-risk exposure, yellow fever vaccine may be given to children 4 to 9 months of age. However, the vaccine is not recommended for infants younger than 4 months of age, because of an increased risk of serious side effects.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Before you receive yellow fever vaccine, it is especially important that your family doctor know if you have received any of the following:

Treatment with x-rays or medication that may lower the body's protection against infection such as those using for organ transplants - cyclosporine, cancer medication, or corticosteroids May decrease the useful effect of yellow fever vaccine

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of yellow fever vaccine. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Immune deficiency condition - or family history of The condition may decrease the useful effect of the vaccine or may increase the risk and severity of side effects

Serious illness with fever The symptoms of the illness may be confusing with the possible side effects of the vaccine