Yellow fever virus

The yellow fever virus (or Amaril virus) is a virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family andFlavivirusgenus.

Features of the yellow fever virus

The yellow fever virus is a small, sphericalvirus 50 nanometres in diameter. The viral particle surrounds a single strain, positive polarity RNA genome approximately 11,000 bases long, which codes for a polyprotein. Once it has been cleaved, the polyprotein produces 13 proteins. The viral particle is enveloped by a membrane originating from the cell in which the viral proteins are anchored.

Amaril and yellow fever virus

The virus is transmitted to human beings by a vector, the mosquito. The virus is found in the insect's salivary glands. The insect then injects the viral particle into the blood when it feeds. It then grows in the closest ganglia to the bite site. After an incubation period of a few days, the viraemia increases and the virus reaches the liver, spleen, and kidneys. Lysis of hepatocytes causes jaundice.