Yellow Fever Vaccine (Cont.)

Who Should Get the Yellow Fever Vaccine?

The following groups of people should get the yellow fever vaccine:
 
  • People nine months of age or older who are traveling to or living in a country that requires yellow fever vaccination. Check with your healthcare provider for more information.
     
  • People nine months of age or older who are traveling to a country that does not require yellow fever vaccination, but is located in an area where the risk of yellow fever is known to exist. Again, check with your healthcare provider.
     
If you continue to live or travel in yellow fever-endemic areas, you should receive a booster dose of the yellow fever vaccine after 10 years.
 
The yellow fever vaccine may be given at the same time as most other vaccines.
 

Who Should Not Get the Yellow Fever Vaccine?

The following groups of people should not get the yellow fever vaccine:
 
  • People who have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to eggs, chicken, gelatin, or to a previous yellow fever vaccine.
     
  • Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid or postpone travel to a yellow fever area. If travel cannot be avoided, discuss vaccination with your doctor.
     
  • Infants younger than nine months of age. For infants six to eight months of age who cannot avoid travel to a yellow fever area, discuss vaccination with the doctor. Under no circumstances should infants younger than six months of age be vaccinated.
     
Check with your doctor before getting the yellow fever vaccine if you:
 
  • Have a history of allergy to eggs, chicken, or gelatin
  • Have HIV/AIDS, or another disease that affects the immune system
  • Have been under treatment for two weeks or longer with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids
  • Have any kind of cancer
  • Are taking cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
  • Have had your thymus gland removed, or if you have a history of problems with your thymus, such as myasthenia gravis, DiGeorge syndrome, or thymoma (tumor of the thymus).
     
If you are 65 or older, you and your physician should discuss the risks and benefits of the yellow fever vaccine. This discussion should be in the context of your risk for exposure to yellow fever virus, based on your destination.
 
If you cannot get the yellow fever vaccine because of a medical condition, and proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for your travel, your doctor can give you a waiver letter. When planning to use a waiver letter, you should also obtain specific advice from the embassy of the country, or countries, you plan to visit.
 
If you cannot get the vaccine, talk with your doctor about other ways to prevent yellow fever.
 
(Yellow Fever Vaccine Continued: Page 3)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;