Yellow fever is a contagious virus that gets passed from one person to another through mosquito transmission. One cycle of yellow fever, known as jungle yellow fever, happens when a monkey with yellow fever is bitten by a mosquito and then bites a human. In this way, the contaminated blood from the monkey infects the human through mosquito transmission. Therefore, “jungle” simply refers to the setting where the first human picked up the virus.
As with other forms of yellow fever, there is no specific treatment or cure for jungle yellow fever. Instead, the goal of treatment is to mitigate yellow fever symptoms and to keep you from passing your condition on to others. Therefore, even though there’s no cure for yellow fever, it is important to receive a diagnosis from a doctor so that you know if you need to quarantine yourself or seek hospitalization if your symptoms get too severe.
Because there is no real treatment or cure to fight yellow fever directly, the South African National Department of Health recommends that anyone who is concerned about getting yellow fever should get vaccinated. While residents of South Africa typically are not in direct danger of contracting the condition while in South Africa, other parts of Africa are known hotspots. This includes countries in northern, eastern, and western Africa, as well as parts of Asia.
The yellow fever vaccine works by infecting you with a small amount of the virus. Your body then develops natural antibodies to fight the virus if you ever become infected with a larger dose. Currently, the yellow fever vaccine is administered with a single shot, and it typically provides lifelong protection. Therefore, because of South Africa’s proximity to known yellow fever hotspots, the yellow fever vaccine is recommended for all residents.
If you are unvaccinated and happen to contract jungle yellow fever, treatment will focus on mitigating your symptoms and boosting your immune system. To do this, it is recommended that you get lots of rest and sleep and drink plenty of fluids. This includes water, beverages with electrolytes, and other drinks that strengthen your immune system and increase hydration.
While there are not any drugs or medications that can cure the virus, over-the-counter medications can help ease your symptoms. These medications, such as Tylenol and Acetaminophen, can reduce pain, fever, and any symptoms that occur as a result of them. However, you should never take NSAIDs, such as Advil or Ibuprofen, when you have yellow fever, as this could promote internal bleeding.
If you have jungle yellow fever and medications and home remedies are not keeping your symptoms at bay, you should seek hospitalization. At the hospital, you can receive stronger pain and anti-fever medications, as well as IV fluids to hydrate you and boost your immune system. While a hospital will not be able to cure you instantly, you stand a better chance of recovering from jungle yellow fever.
Jungle yellow fever is a fickle and complicated condition. Although it is incurable, most people who get jungle yellow fever do not experience symptoms that are too unbearable. As such, they can often recover in the safety and comfort of their homes.
However, yellow fever can lead to heart problems, organ failure, brain damage, and even death if it progresses too severely and you do not get medical treatment in time. Therefore, if you know or suspect you have yellow fever, you should seek a medical consultation immediately. You should also consider getting vaccinated if you currently are not.