yellow fever

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. an acute, often fatal, infectious febrile disease of warm climates, caused by an RNA virus transmitted by a mosquito, especially Aedes aegypti, and characterized by liver damage and jaundice.

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yellow fever British  

noun

1. Also called: yellow jack.   black vomit.  an acute infectious disease of tropical and subtropical climates, characterized by fever, haemorrhages, vomiting of blood, and jaundice: caused by a virus transmitted by the bite of a female mosquito of the species Aedes aegypti

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yellow fever Scientific  

/ yĕl′ō /

1. A life-threatening infectious disease caused by a virus of the genus Flavivirus and characterized by fever, jaundice, and internal bleeding. Yellow fever occurs mainly in tropical regions of Africa and Latin America and is transmitted by mosquitoes.

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Etymology

Origin of yellow fever

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

Yellow fever continues to pose a significant public health threat in areas of South America and Africa.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2025

Yellow fever can be difficult to diagnose and its symptoms can be confused with those of other diseases or fevers.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2025

Yellow fever is caused by a virus transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes.

From Seattle Times • May 27, 2024

Yellow fever, he said, gave local armies—such as the one Toussaint L’Ouverture commanded over for Haiti’s liberation—a crucial edge over invaders with immune systems that were new to the virus.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 27, 2023

Yellow fever had scattered the residents of Philadelphia to the four winds.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson