The yellow fever “booster” vaccination given 10 years after the initial vaccination is not necessary, the WHO has suggested. An article published in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) reveals that the organisation’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunisation (SAGE) has reviewed the latest evidence and concluded that a single dose of vaccination is sufficient to confer life-long immunity against yellow fever disease. The information, the WHO says, is crucial for countries where yellow fever is endemic and for travellers so that countries can reconsider their vaccine scheduling.
Yellow fever vaccination began in the 1930s and since then only 12 known cases of yellow fever post-vaccination have been identified, after 600 million doses have been dispensed. “Evidence showed that among this small number of “vaccine failures”, all cases developed the disease within five years of vaccination. This demonstrates that immunity does not decrease with time,” it said.
“The conventional guidance has been that the yellow fever vaccination has had to be boosted after ten years,” says Dr Helen Rees, chair of SAGE, which is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunisation. “Looking at really very good evidence, it was quite clear to SAGE that in fact a single dose of yellow fever vaccine is effective. This is extremely important for countries where yellow fever is endemic, because it will allow them to reconsider their vaccine scheduling. It is also important for travellers.”
Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes that is endemic to 44 countries in tropical areas of Africa and the Americas. Infection with the yellow fever virus causes varying degrees of disease, from mild symptoms to severe illness with bleeding and jaundice and fatal outcomes.