Special Testing for Selected Patients with Severe Adverse Events Potentially Related to Yellow Fever Vaccination
Healthcare providers are encouraged to report cases of adverse events potentially caused by yellow fever vaccination to the CDC/FDA Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) by one of the following methods:
- Submitting a report
online at https://secure.vaers.org/VaersDataEntryintro.htm
- Printing a VAERS Form (58K) and faxing or mailing it using information at: http://vaers.hhs.gov/contact.htm.
- Calling 1-800-822-7967
To determine whether these illnesses are potentially related to recent yellow fever vaccination, CDC can perform special testing on specimens previously collected from the patient:
- quantification of yellow fever antibody titers on acute- and convalescent-phase specimens;
- polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and viral culture of acute-phase sera, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and fresh-frozen tissue samples;
- immunohistochemical analysis of fixed tissue; and
- molecular analysis of vaccine virus from the same lot as administered to the patient.
Please refer to the following for details on storage and shipment of specimens:
- Table 1. Storage and shipment of sera, cerebrospinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid
- Table 2. Storage and shipment of vaccine vials (from same lot as administered to patient)
- Table 3. Storage and shipment of biopsy, surgical, or autopsy specimens
- General sample shipping information
- CDC
Submission Form (CDC 50.34)
(394 KB)
(Must accompany each specimen)
For further information on the enhanced surveillance and diagnostic system for adverse events potentially related to yellow fever vaccine, please see MMWR 2001;50:343-5.
General sample shipping information
After the patient has been reported and specimen submission has been discussed with VAERS and CDC medical officers, samples may be shipped to the CDC Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases under the conditions listed above.
A CDC Submission Form (CDC 50.34) (394 KB) must accompany each specimen. Please fill out the form as completely as possible and include the following:
- Date of yellow fever vaccination
- Date of onset of symptoms
- Date of collection of specimen
- Travel history for the 3 months before onset of symptoms
- Also indicate that the patient is being evaluated for adverse events potentially related to yellow fever vaccination
Using precautions and packaging required for shipping of potentially infected materials, samples should be sent by overnight shipping to
Arbovirus Diseases Branch
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases
Immediate attention: Arboviral Diagnostic Reference Laboratory
3150 Rampart Road
Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
Phone number: 970.221.6400
To ensure that these samples arrive during the week, shipments should be scheduled to arrive on Monday through Thursday (unless previous arrangements have been made with the Lab).
Content Source:
Division of Vector Borne Infectious Diseases
National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases