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Yellow fever is an infectious disease that, although severe, can most often be treated at home, as long as treatment is guided by a general practitioner or infectious disease.
Since there is no medicine capable of eliminating the virus from the body, the objective is to relieve the symptoms of the disease, such as fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, as well as assessing whether the person is developing the most severe form of the disease. .
If the person is developing the most severe form, which is characterized by increased fever, severe abdominal pain and bleeding, treatment needs to be done while in hospital, to reduce the risk of serious complications, such as kidney failure. See more about the symptoms of yellow fever, including the symptoms in the most severe form.
Home treatment should include:
1. Rest
Rest is very important for recovery from any type of infection, as it ensures that the body has the necessary energy to fight the virus and accelerate recovery, in addition to helping to relieve muscle pain and the feeling of tiredness.
Thus, the person with yellow fever should stay at home and avoid going to school or work.
2. Good hydration
Correct hydration is another of the most important steps to fight the yellow fever virus, as water is essential for the proper functioning of the body, including its natural defense system.
Thus, it is recommended that the person drink about 2 liters of water per day, which can be in the form of filtered water, coconut water, natural juices or teas, for example.
3. Medications indicated by the doctor
In addition to rest and hydration, the doctor may also advise the use of some medicines, depending on the type of symptoms that the person has. The most common include:
- Antipyretic remedies, such as Paracetamol, every 8 hours to reduce fever and headache;
- Analgesic remedies, such as Paracetamol or Dipyrone, to relieve muscle pain;
- Stomach protectors, such as Cimetidine and Omeprazole, to prevent gastritis, ulcers and decrease the risk of bleeding;
- Vomiting medicine, such as Metoclopramide to control vomiting.
Remedies that contain acetylsalicylic acid are not recommended because they can cause hemorrhage and cause death, as in the case of dengue. Some remedies that are contraindicated in case of yellow fever are AAS, aspirin, Doril and Calmador. See others that also cannot be used against yellow fever.
Treatment for the severe form of yellow fever
In the most severe cases, treatment should be done in the hospital with serum and medication in the vein, as well as oxygen to prevent serious complications, such as bleeding or dehydration, which can endanger the person's life.
Possible complications
Complications affect 5 to 10% of patients with yellow fever and, in this case, treatment must be done with admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Signs of complications can be decreased urine, apathy, prostration, vomiting with blood and kidney failure, for example. When the patient arrives in this state, he must be taken to the hospital so that he can be hospitalized because it may be necessary to undergo hemodialysis or be intubated, for example.
Signs of improvement or worsening
Signs of improvement in yellow fever appear 2 to 3 days after the start of treatment and include decreased fever, relief of muscle pain and headache, as well as reduced number of vomiting.
The signs of worsening are related to dehydration and, therefore, include increased number of vomiting, decreased amount of urine, excessive tiredness and apathy. In these cases, it is recommended to go to the emergency room to start the appropriate treatment.