Yellow Fever in Brazil
Updated: February 26, 2010
Current Situation
Yellow fever cases have
occurred throughout southern Brazil, mainly
in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and São
Paolo. Yellow fever occurs in sub-Saharan
Africa and tropical South America and is
spread to people through the bite of
infected mosquitoes. Symptoms can include
sudden onset of fever, chills, headache,
backache, nausea, and vomiting.
From December 2008 through
April 2009, the state of Rio Grande do Sul,
on the southern tip of Brazil, reported 20
confirmed human cases of yellow fever
infection. Nine of these people died. This
is the first time since 1966 that human
yellow fever cases have been reported in Rio
Grande do Sul. In response to the situation,
the Brazilian Ministry of Health has added a
number of municipalities to the yellow fever
risk area, which now includes the state’s
capital city of Porto Alegre.
From February through April
2009, the state of São Paolo in Southern
Brazil reported 28 confirmed human cases of
yellow fever, including 11 deaths. These
cases occurred in municipalities that lie
outside the reported yellow fever risk area.
In response, the Brazilian Ministry of
Health has added a number of municipalities
to the yellow fever risk area for São Paolo.
Yellow Fever Risk Areas in Brazil
Currently, Brazil recommends yellow fever
vaccination for travelers to the following
states:
All areas of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Distrito
Federal (including the capital city of
Brasília), Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso,
Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará,
Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins, and designated
areas of the following states: Bahia,
Paraná, Piauí, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa
Catarina, and São Paulo. Vaccination is also
recommended for travelers visiting Iguassu
Falls.
Vaccination is NOT recommended for travel to
the following coastal cities: Rio de
Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Recife, and
Fortaleza.
Please refer to the
Updated CDC Yellow
Fever Map for Brazil to see the
areas with risk for yellow fever
transmission.
For information on risk in specific
municipalities in partially endemic states
for yellow fever, please see the
Brazilian Ministry of
Health yellow fever risk area search portal (in
Portuguese).
Recommendations for US Travelers
Brazil currently
does not
require yellow fever vaccination
for entrance into the country. However,
travelers are strongly urged to get the
yellow fever vaccine before traveling to an
area of Brazil with risk of yellow fever
transmission. For additional information,
see
CDC yellow fever
vaccination recommendations and requirements
for Brazil.
Since yellow fever is spread by the bite of
an infected mosquito, travelers are also
reminded to take steps to prevent mosquito
bites:
- When outdoors or in a building that is
not well screened, use insect repellent on
uncovered skin. Always apply sunscreen
before insect repellent.
- Look for a repellent that contains one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus/PMD, or IR3535. Always follow the instructions on the label when you use the repellent.
- In general, repellents protect longer against mosquito bites when they have a higher concentration (%) of the active ingredient. However, concentrations above 50% do not offer a marked increase in protection time. Products with less than 10% of an active ingredient may offer only limited protection, often just 1-2 hours.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics approves the use of repellents with up to 30% DEET on children over 2 months old.
- Protect babies less than 2 months old by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.
- For more information about the use of repellent on infants and children, please see the “Insect and Other Arthropod Protection” section in Traveling Safely with Infants and Children in CDC Health Information for International Travel 2010 and the “Children” section of CDC’s Frequently Asked Questions about Repellent Use.
- For more information on the use of insect repellents, visit Mosquito and Tick Protection.
- Wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
- Spray clothing with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent for greater protection. (Remember: Don't use permethrin on skin.)
Visit the
Brazil destination
page on the
CDC Travelers’ Health
website for information about
other steps to take to ensure a safe and
healthy trip to Brazil.
Additional Information
For more information about the yellow fever
risk areas in Brazil, see the following
resources from the Brazil Ministry of Health:
Ministry of Health Yellow Fever Bulletin December 2009
(PDF)
Ministry of Health Yellow Fever Bulletin December 2009
(PDF)