Yellow Fever - Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis

After transmission of the virus from a mosquito, the viruses replicate in the lymph nodes and infect dendritic cells in particular. From there they reach the liver and infect hepatocytes (probably indirectly via Kupffer cells), which leads to eosinophilic degradation of these cells and to the release of cytokines. Necrotic masses (Councilman bodies) appear in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes.

When the disease takes a deadly course, a cardiovascular shock and multi-organ failure, with strongly increased cytokine levels (cytokine storm), follow.