ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. – With travel on the rise again, a St. Charles County clinic is offering yellow fever vaccination for people going abroad for vacation or humanitarian work.
According to the World Health Organization, yellow fever is an “acute viral hemorrhagic disease.” Its name is derived from the jaundice that can affect some patients.
Yellow fever is commonly found in parts of Africa and South America, and infects approximately 200,000 worldwide annually. Common symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, headache, backache, and muscle aches. Severe cases can cause organ failure and even death.
Most people recover, but about 15% of those infected become severely ill. As many as 30,000 people die from the disease every year.
And while there is no anti-viral drug available to directly treat yellow fever, an effective vaccine exists.
The St. Charles County Travel Health Clinic offers the one-dose vaccine for international travelers. The vaccine typically provides immunity within 10 days for at least 80% of individuals, which rises to 99% at 30 days.
Proof of vaccination is usually required to travel to countries where yellow fever is present.
Due to the limited number of yellow fever vaccines, the St. Charles County clinic is one of a few in the region to offer the vaccination.
Vaccinations at the Travel Health Clinic are by appointment only, and recipients will need to provide identification, a current vaccination record, detailed travel plans, and fill out a medical questionnaire. You can schedule a vaccination or consultation with the Travel Health Clinic by calling 636-949-1857.
The cost for a consultation and vaccine is $267. Unfortunately, the clinic does not currently accept health insurance for the vaccinations, so patients will have to pay out-of-pocket.