List of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Mosquito-borne Disease That Causes Bleeding And Organ Failure Could Erupt Sparking A Pandemic, Warn Scientists

SCIENTISTS have warned that yellow fever (YF), a deadly disease spread by mosquitoes, could cause a global pandemic.

They said spread of the blood-sucking critter that carries the hemorrhagic disease is more likely due to urban growth and increased travel.

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Yellow fever is mostly spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which thrives in citiesCredit: Getty

Yellow fever is caused by the YF virus (YFV) and typically begins with symptoms like fever, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue.

In severe cases, the virus can lead to internal bleeding, liver failure, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), which gives the disease its name.

It can also cause multiple organ failure, including the kidneys and heart, and can be fatal without proper treatment.

It is believed to infect around 200,000 people each year and to kill 30,000 of them.

It's mostly spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which thrives in cities.

Unlike other mosquito-borne diseases, YFV spreads easily between humans.

This is because infected people carry a high amount of the virus in their blood, which mosquitoes can pick up and pass on to others.

Historically, yellow fever has been endemic in parts of Africa and south and central America - but vaccines and mosquito control helped control it.

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However, the disease is resurfacing in Africa, with inadequate vaccination and poor mosquito control to blame, a new study has suggested.

Writing in npj Viruses, an international group of scientists warned that while yellow fever has not yet spread to the Asia-Pacific region - a vast area that includes countries like China, India, Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asia - the risk is higher than ever.

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This concern was first raised by epidemiologist H.R. Carter in 1923, when he warned that yellow fever could spread to the Asia-Pacific region, which has large, vulnerable populations.

"The concern that YFV will spread to the Asia Pacific region that Carter raised 100 years ago in his treatise on the subject remains equally pressing today," the study's authors said.

"Indeed, we would argue that the likelihood of such a catastrophe could be even higher now than it was in Carter's time."

This is partly because global travel increases the risk.

In 2019, over four billion people flew, many between areas where YFV is common and places where mosquitoes could spread it.

"If yellow fever reaches a new area, it could spread fast," the authors warned.

The research, published on April 24, emphasises that a yellow fever pandemic today could be far worse than previous outbreaks.

"A YF pandemic in today's world would cause a devastating public health crisis that, because of the much higher lethality, would make the Covid-19 pandemic pale by comparison," the paper states.

The yellow fever vaccine, which gives people lifelong immunity is available but in short supply.

The authors call for better vaccine distribution and mosquito control to prevent a potential outbreak.

"We need to act now," they concluded.

Everything you need to know: Yellow fever

Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The "yellow" in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients

Symptoms include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue

A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within seven to ten days

Since the launch of the Yellow Fever Initiative in 2006, significant progress in combating the disease has been made in West Africa and more than 105 million people have been vaccinated in mass campaigns

Yellow fever is prevented by an extremely effective vaccine, which is safe and affordable. A single dose of yellow fever vaccine which gives life-long protection against the disease

Good supportive treatment in hospitals improves survival rates. There is currently no specific anti-viral drug for yellow fever

Source: World Health Organisation

Typhoid Fever: Deadly Victorian Disease Becoming Antibiotic Resistant As Dire Warning Issued

04:02, 24 Apr 2025Updated 07:16, 24 Apr 2025

A deadly disease which toppled ancient civilizations is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, it is reported.

Typhoid fever still poses a significant threat in some countries, and is highly contagious so can spread to new parts of the world. More than 110,000 die from the disease every year, notably across Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Eastern Europe, where sanitation and water quality are poor.

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But as it is becoming antibiotic resistant, experts have issued a dire warning. An international team of researchers recently wrote in the journal Scientific Data: "Despite advances in vaccination and treatment strategies, typhoid fever continues to affect millions annually, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality, and there continue to be large-scale outbreaks."

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Around nine million become ill from typhoid fever every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) understands. That is despite the misconception typhoid fever was merely a Victorian disease - although in this era, it did pose a significant threat. No section of society was spared – Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, contracted typhoid and died from it in 1861.

READ MORE: Tuberculosis soars in England - cases of Victorian disease MAPPED in 'serious' outbreak

Yet, in the US alone, there are now typically around 5,700 illnesses and 620 hospitalisations from typhoid each year. Most cases are linked to international travel, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here, the NHS warns on its website the bacterial infection can spread throughout the body, affecting many organs, and there hundreds of confirmed infections each year. The website adds: "Most of these people become infected while visiting relatives in Bangladesh, India or Pakistan. But you're also at risk if you visit Asia, Africa or South America."

The bacteria that cause typhoid fever, Salmonella Typhi, are developing resistance to antibiotics through genetic mutations, allowing them to survive even when exposed to drugs that would normally kill them. Researchers have examined strains in recent years to be able to confirm this.

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Jehan Zeb Khan, the clinical pharmacist at a clinic in northern Pakistan, told The Guardian: "Typhoid was once treatable with a set of pills and now ends up with patients in hospital."

Once the bacteria enter the body, they typically cause a high fever, fatigue and stomach cramps within one to three weeks. Prompt antibiotic treatment is crucial to prevent severe complications, like intestinal hemorrhage, organ failure and sepsis, and death.

Students at University of Wisconsin–Madison were warned about the potential exposure to Salmonella Typhi in February after a campus café worker was diagnosed with typhoid.

READ MORE: Three warning signs of gout as NHS sees rise in return of Victorian disease

The warning comes after worrying new data released last month showed Tuberculosis (TB) "remains a serious public health issue in England." Experts said the "reemergence, re-establishment, and resurgence" of several illnesses was down to the return of social mixing and international travel following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Typhoid Fever Symptoms Explained Amid Fears Victorian Disease Becoming Antibiotic Resistant

09:51, 24 Apr 2025Updated 12:42, 24 Apr 2025

A Victorian illness that was once easily treated has re-emerged with deadly antibiotic resistance - sparking global health fears as it becomes even harder to cure.

Typhoid fever, caused by contaminated food or water, has been a persistent threat to human populations for millennia. At its worst, it can kill, but others who develop the fever can be left with a host of unpleasant symptoms that can take several months to recover from if left untreated. More than 110,000 people die from typhoid every year, notably across Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Eastern Europe, where sanitation and water quality are poor. But it can spread to new parts of the world, including the UK - with a new extensively drug-resistant strain making the highly contagious disease much harder to control.

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According to the NHS, symptoms usually develop 1 or 2 weeks after a person becomes infected with the Salmonella typhi bacteria. With prompt treatment, symptoms of typhoid fever should generally improve within 3 to 5 days.

But if the disease is left untreated, it'll usually worsen over time, and there's a significant risk of life-threatening complications developing. Without treatment, it can take weeks - or even months - to fully recover from typhoid, and symptoms can even return.

The main symptoms to look out for are:

a persistent high temperature that gradually increases each day

a headache

general aches and pains

extreme tiredness (fatigue)

a cough

constipation

Later on, as the infection progresses you may also experience a lose in appetite, feeling sick, a tummy ache and diarrhoea.

Some people may develop a rash.

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When to see a doctor

You should see your GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms of typhoid fever - even if you have been vaccinated against it - and especially if you have recently returned from travelling abroad. While typhoid fever is currently still uncommon in the UK, it's vital to get your symptoms checked out in case you require treatment.

If you become ill while travelling abroad, you can get help by:

contacting a representative of the travel company you booked with

contacting your travel insurer

contacting the British consulate in the area you're visiting or, if you're feeling very ill, the local emergency services

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides travel advice by country, and the contact details of all the British consulates and embassies in foreign countries can be accessed on GOV.UK.

Before you travel, it's a good idea to make a list of relevant contact details and telephone numbers in case of an emergency.

Speaking about the new antibiotic resistant strain of typhoid fever, an international team of researchers recently wrote in the journal Scientific Data: "Despite advances in vaccination and treatment strategies, typhoid fever continues to affect millions annually, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality, and there continue to be large-scale outbreaks."

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