Effective mosquito control will prevent spread of infection, says expert

Dr Tunji Ambali, a general medical practitioner, said on Friday that effective mosquito control measures were vital components for preventing or minimising the risk of yellow fever , especially, in children.

Ambali, who works with Good Life Specialist Hospital, Badore in Ajah, Lagos State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that yellow fever was a life threatening disease to its victim if not nipped in the bud early enough.

He said that members of the public should always avoid mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing and always apply insect repellant containing Diethyl-meta-toluamide( DEET) to their bodies.

Ambali said that yellow fever was a potentially deadly flu disease spread by mosquitoes which were characterised by high fever and jaundice.

This acute viral infectious disease could be transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, he said.

“Yellow fever is caused by the virus known as flavivirus transmitted by female mosquitoes to humans after the mosquitoes must have contacted it from monkeys or other humans.

“Those living in areas populated by infected mosquitoes are at the risk of yellow fever,’’ he said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 200,000 people become infected each year.

Ambali said that yellow fever could be observed in an affected person with its symptoms manifesting within six days after exposure.

The initial signs are headaches, muscle, joint aches and fever, he said.

Ambali said that yellow fever could be mild and self limiting as well as being life threatening that could cause hemorrhagic fever and hepatitis on its victims.

“The symptoms during the initial phase are nonspecific and similar to a flu-like illness.

“The preliminary diagnosis is often made clinically based on the patient’s signs and symptoms,” he said.

Ambali said that the treatment of yellow fever is usually by supportive measures aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disease, including the pain and fever in the patient.

“The supportive measures include: oxygen administration, intravenous fluid administration for dehydration, transfusion of blood products, antibiotics and so on.

“In the first few days of illness, infected individual should be kept indoors in order to prevent him or her from further mosquito exposure”.

Ambali said that vaccination remains the most effective way of preventing yellow fever because it had been used for several decades.

“It is a live-virus vaccine that provides immunity for 10 years or longer starting from when an individual takes a dose."