Yellow Fever Vaccine - When not to give (Contraindications)

Who should not receive the yellow fever vaccine?

• Yellow fever vaccine should not be given to infants under 6 months of age due to a risk of viral encephalitis (brain inflammation) developing in the child. In most cases, vaccination should be deferred until the child is 9 to 12 months of age to minimize the risk of vaccine associated encephalitis.
• Pregnant women should not be vaccinated because of a theoretical risk that the developing fetus may become infected from the vaccine.
• Infants 6 to 9 months of age and pregnant women should be considered for immunization only if they are traveling to high-risk areas, travel cannot be postponed and a high level of prevention against mosquito exposure is unfeasible.
• Persons hypersensitive to eggs should not receive the vaccine because it is prepared in embryonated eggs.
• Immunocompromised persons and persons receiving cancer chemotherapy or high doses of steroids. People with asymptomatic HIV infection may be vaccinated if exposure to yellow fever cannot be avoided. (1)
• In addition, vaccine providers should give careful consideration to the risks and benefits of yellow fever vaccination for elderly travellers and should routinely enquire about a history of thymus disorder, including myasthenia gravis, thymoma, thymectomy, or DiGeorge syndrome, irrespective of the age of the subject. (2)
  
  For all the above mentioned population groups, if travel plans cannot be altered to avoid yellow fever-endemic areas, consider alternative means of yellow fever prevention, including use of insect repellents, containing N,N-diethyl-metatoluamide (DEET) and permethrin, and other behaviours to reduce mosquito bites.
  

(3)

References
1. http://www.immunizationinfo.org/vaccines/yellow-fever (accessed August 2010)
2. http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/topics/yellow_fever/en/index.html (accessed August 2010)
3. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(04)17017-7/fulltext (accessed August 2010)

All information provided by Dr Gaurav Gupta, MD, Charak Clinics. Stamaril, Yellow Fever Vaccine is available at Charak Clinics, Chandigarh, North India for all travelers to Endemic Countries in Africa / Central & South America with WHO certificate of vaccination valid for 10 years. For details write to us at drgaurav-at-charakclinics.com (replace -at- by @) or call at 91-172-5092585, 91-9872303775 during Office Hours.