History of yellow fever as a result of the numerous deaths, of the French company licensed to build the canal resulted in a massive financial crisis in France. History of yellow fever The evolutionary origins of yellow fever most likely lie in Africa. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the virus originated from East or Central Africa, with transmission between primates and humans, and spread from there to West Africa. The virus as well as the vector "Aedes aegypti", a mosquito species, were probably brought to the western hemisphere and the Americas by slave trade ships from Africa after the first European exploration in 1492. The
Yellow fever vaccine It should not be given to those with very poor immune function. Yellow fever vaccine came into use in 1938. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. The wholesale price in the developing world is between US$4.30 and US$21.30 per dose as of 2014. In the United States it costs between US$50 and US$100. The vaccine is made from weakened yellow fever virus. Some countries require a yellow fever vaccination certificate before entry from a country where the disease is common. People most at risk