Outbreaks of yellow fever, such as the notorious 1878 'American plague' which swept through Memphis, Tennessee, used to kill thousands in a matter of weeks. So why was it so devastating? How did we manage to tame it in some parts of the world? And why does yellow fever still present a danger today for nearly a billion people living in tropical parts of Latin America and Africa?
Bridget Kendall discusses the history and the future of yellow fever with American writer and journalist Molly Crosby, author of The American Plague;
history professor from the University of Virginia, Christian McMillen who has a special interest in past and present epidemics;
and Dr. Nick Beeching who teaches clinical infectious diseases at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Photo: Yellow Fever Virus (Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library)