Yellow Fever Vaccinations and Certificates for International Travel

Yellow fever is a virus spread by mosquitoes. It’s found in parts of Africa and South America. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The virus can sometimes cause a range of symptoms, from mild fever and headache to severe liver disease. Unlike many other mosquito-borne infections, vaccines are available to protect against yellow fever. Vaccination is very effective. It is recommended for travelers to, or residents of, areas where yellow fever is endemic.

Most individuals who contract yellow fever will show no symptoms. Some may have mild symptoms like fever, chills, headache or vomiting. The CDC estimates that one in seven people with symptoms will develop a severe case of yellow fever.

Severe cases cause very high fevers, jaundice, bleeding, shock, and organ failure. If you develop any of these symptoms in a yellow fever area, see a healthcare professional immediately.

Yellow fever spreads to humans through mosquito bites. The virus cannot spread from person to person directly, only via mosquito bites.

Most yellow fever outbreaks start with mosquitoes infecting primates, like monkeys. Other mosquitoes then carry the virus from primates to humans in cities and other places. There, local mosquitoes can carry infection from person-to-person through bites.

Many towns and cities in affected regions regularly fog to kill or ward off mosquitoes. But, these efforts do not provide complete protection. Vaccination is recommended for regions where the virus is present.

Yellow fever is primarily carried by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes.

The Haemagogus mosquito is commonly found in Central and South America. The Haemagogus mosquito caused several yellow fever epidemics in those regions.

Aedes mosquitoes are found worldwide. They carry most mosquito-borne infections, not just yellow fever. The two most common subspecies of Aedes cause yellow fever, dengue and Zika virus, among other infections.

Health authorities recommend using mosquito-preventatives like repellents and netting as well as vaccination to avoid yellow fever.

There is no medicine or treatment for yellow fever. Most care involves alleviating pain and treating symptoms like headache and fever. Severe cases require hospitalization for close observation and care. Between 30 and 60 percent of individuals who have severe symptoms die from the virus.

The yellow fever vaccine is a highly effective travel vaccine that protects against yellow fever: a mosquito-borne virus that spreads easily from insects to humans.

This vaccine is live-attenuated which means it contains a weakened form of the virus. This trains the body to build immunity without causing disease. The vaccine is for people traveling to or living in areas where yellow fever is present, like parts of Africa and South America.

A single dose of the vaccine provides lifelong protection for most people. An International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) is often required for entry into countries where yellow fever is present.

The yellow fever vaccine is for anyone traveling to a virus-affected area. Those under nine months or over 60 years may need to consult a healthcare provider before vaccination.

Those under nine months or over 60 years may need to check with a primary care provider before getting the yellow fever vaccine. Other individuals who may need to consult a PCP before vaccination include:

• Pregnant women
• People who have had their thymus removed or have a thymus disorder.
• Those with a weakened immune system
• People who have had an allergic reaction to the yellow fever vaccine
• Individuals who have any severe, life threatening allergies
• Those who may have received a vaccine in the last four weeks

If you are traveling to a region where yellow fever vaccination is recommended or required and cannot receive the vaccine, your doctor and a Passport Health professional can fill out a Medical Contraindications to Vaccination portion of your ‘yellow card’ and a waiver letter. Those with a waiver should contact the embassy of their destination country. Travelers must confirm they have what they need to enter the country with a waiver.

A single dose of the yellow fever vaccine gives lifetime protection against the virus. While lifetime vaccination is recognized by the World Health Organization, some countries still require proof of vaccination within the last ten years for entry.

Be sure to check with your Passport Health travel specialist before your trip to see if a second yellow fever immunization may be required.

Yellow fever vaccination side effects are generally mild and common to most vaccines. This includes redness at the injection site or mild muscle ache.

Those over 60 or with weak immune systems should consult a doctor before vaccination. Side effects or drug interactions are more common with these groups.

Over 40 countries, including Peru, Brazil, and Nigeria, have some risk of yellow fever. See below to learn more:

Countries Where Yellow Fever Risk Exists

Countries Where Yellow Fever Risk Exists
Region	Recommended	Required	Details
Angola			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Angola.
Argentina			Recommended for travelers over 9 months of age going to Corrientes and Misiones Provinces. Usually not recommended for travel to other regions.
Benin			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Benin.
Bolivia			Recommended for most travelers over 9 months of age. May not be recommended for travel to high altitudes, be sure to check with a travel health specialist. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever present.
Brazil			Generally recommended for all travelers over 9 months of age.
Burkina Faso			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Burkina Faso.
Burundi			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Burundi.
Cameroon			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Cameroon.
Central African Rep.			Vaccination is required for all travelers to CAR.
Chad			Generally recommended for all travelers over 9 months of age. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Colombia			Recommended for most travelers over 9 months of age. May not be recommended for travel to high altitudes, be sure to check with a travel health specialist. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Cote d’Ivoire			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Cote d’Ivoire.
DR Congo			Vaccination is required for all travelers to DRC.
Ecuador			Recommended for most travelers over 9 months of age. May not be recommended for travel to high altitudes, be sure to check with a travel health specialist. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Equ. Guinea			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Equatorial Guinea.
Eritrea			Yellow fever is present in Eritrea, but rare. Travelers may be required to show proof of vaccination when entering another country from Eritrea despite the rarity of cases. If visiting another African nation after Eritrea, vaccination may be required.
Ethiopia			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
French Guiana			Vaccination is required for all travelers to French Guiana.
Gabon			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Gabon.
Gambia			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Ghana			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Ghana.
Guinea			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Guinea-Bissau			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Guinea-Bissau.
Guyana			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Kenya			Generally recommended for all travelers over 9 months of age. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Liberia			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Liberia.
Mali			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Mali.
Mauritania			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Mauritania.
Niger			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Niger.
Nigeria			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Panama			Generally recommended for all travelers over 9 months of age. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Paraguay			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Peru			Recommended for most travelers over 9 months of age. May not be recommended for travel to high altitudes, be sure to check with a travel health specialist. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Rep. of Congo			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Rep. of Congo.
Rwanda			While present in some isolated parts of Rwanda, yellow fever is uncommon and vaccination is not generally recommended. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Sao Tome			Yellow fever is present in Sao Tome but rare. Travelers may be required to show proof of vaccination when entering another country from Sao Tome despite the rarity of cases. If visiting another African nation after Sao Tome, vaccination may be required. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Senegal			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Sierra Leone			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Sierra Leone.
Somalia			While present in some isolated parts of Somalia, yellow fever is uncommon and vaccination is not generally recommended. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
South Sudan			Vaccination is required for all travelers to South Sudan.
Sudan			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Suriname			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Tanzania			Yellow fever is present in Tanzania, but rare. Travelers may be required to show proof of vaccination when entering another country from Tanzania despite the rarity of cases. If visiting another African nation after Tanzania, vaccination may be required. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Togo			Vaccination is required for all travelers to Togo.
Trinidad and Tobago			Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Uganda			Required for all travelers over 1 year old.
Venezuela			Recommended for most travelers over 9 months of age. May not be recommended for travel to high altitudes, be sure to check with a travel health specialist. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.
Zambia			Yellow fever is present in Zambia but rare. Travelers may be required to show proof of vaccination when entering another country from Zambia despite the rarity of cases. If visiting another African nation after Zambia, vaccination may be required. Required if arriving from a region with yellow fever.

Sources: CDC, WHO and ISTM

Yellow fever occurs in different regions of South America and Africa. Travelers to these regions should get a yellow fever vaccine before traveling. Some countries require proof of vaccination for entry. Or, proof if arriving from a country with the virus. Learn more below:

Which Countries Require Proof of Yellow Fever Vaccination for Entry?

• Angola
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• Central African Rep.
• Cote d’Ivoire
• DR Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• French Guiana
• Gabon
• Ghana
• Guinea-Bissau
• Liberia
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Niger
• Republic of Congo
• Sierra Leone
• South Sudan
• Togo
• Uganda

Which Countries Require Proof of Vaccination If Arriving From a Region With Yellow Fever?

• Albania
• Algeria
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Aruba
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bolivia
• Bonaire
• Botswana
• Brunei
• Cape Verde
• Cambodia
• Chad
• China
• Christmas Island
• Cocos Islands
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Curacao
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• French Polynesia
• Gambia
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Malta
• Martinique
• Mayotte
• Montserrat
• Mozambique
• Myanmar (Burma)
• Namibia
• Nepal
• New Caledonia
• Nicaragua
• Nigeria
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• North Korea
• Oman
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Pitcairn Islands
• Rwanda
• Saint Helena
• Saint Kitts
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin
• Saint Vincent
• Saint-Barthelemy
• Samoa
• Sao Tome
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• Sint Eustatius
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Trinidad and Tobago
• UAE
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Researchers believe yellow fever dates back as much as 3,000 years. The first recorded outbreak was in the Yucatan Peninsula in 1648. Since then, major outbreaks have occurred in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Cuba and Panama.

In recent years, yellow fever outbreaks have hit many countries. These include Kenya, Nigeria, Peru, and Brazil. The WHO estimates that 170,000 people catch the virus each year. It causes about 60,000 deaths.

In the U.S., the yellow fever vaccine available is YF-Vax, produced by Sanofi Pasteur. It is a live-attenuated vaccine that provides effective protection against yellow fever. The vaccine is given once and provides lasting protection.

No, a prescription is not required to get a yellow fever vaccine from Passport Health.

Passport Health works directly with nurses and doctors to ensure the highest quality travel health care. We are able to provide the yellow fever, and other key vaccines, to you directly, no need to visit a PCP before coming to us.

You may need to visit or consult with your PCP if you are in a high-risk group and receiving the yellow fever vaccine. Please see our ‘What Is the Yellow Fever Vaccine?’ section above to learn more.

A single dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides lifetime protection. But, some countries still require proof of vaccination within the last 10 years. Consult with a Passport Health team member if you are unsure if you need to be re-vaccinated.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent yellow fever. Depending on where you are traveling, you may need mosquito repellents, netting and proper clothing.

The yellow fever vaccine is rarely covered by insurance. It is usually paid for out-of-pocket. Costs can vary based on a variety of factors, including vaccine availability. Contact your local Passport Health to learn more about pricing in your area.

The yellow fever vaccine is only available from designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers. All Passport Health locations provide the yellow fever vaccine. See our locations page to find a clinic near you.