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Live attenuated vaccine Pregnancy: No animal developmental and reproductive studies have been conducted with STAMARIL and the potential risk for humans is unknown; data on a limited number of exposed pregnancies indicate no adverse effects on pregnancy or the health of the fetus/newborn. Nevertheless, as STAMARIL is a live attenuated vaccine it should not be given during pregnancy unless clearly needed and only after careful consideration of the potential risks and benefits, and pregnancy should be avoided for one month following vaccination. Because of a probable risk of transmission of the vaccine virus strain to the infant, it should not be given to nursing mothers unless clearly needed, such as during an outbreak, and only if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks; where vaccination is needed it is recommended to interrupt breast-feeding for at least 2 weeks following vaccination. No fertility data are available.

Yellow fever vaccine

Brand names: Stamaril

A live attenuated vaccine against yellow fever virus, used for active immunisation of travellers to or residents of endemic areas of Africa and South America.

Adult dose

Dose: Primary vaccination against yellow fever: a single dose of 0.5 mL of the reconstituted vaccine
Route: It is preferable that the vaccine is injected by the subcutaneous route. Intramuscular injection may be performed if this is in accordance with applicable official recommendations - the recommended intramuscular site in adults is the deltoid muscle. DO NOT INJECT INTRAVASCULARLY.
Frequency: A single dose, given at least 10 days before entering an endemic area, since protective immunity may not be achieved until at least this time has elapsed. The duration of protection following one single 0.5 mL dose is expected to be at least 10 years and may be life-long; re-vaccination with one dose of 0.5 mL may be needed in individuals who had an insufficient immune response after primary vaccination if they continue to be at risk of yellow fever virus infection, or where required by official recommendations of local health authorities.
Max: One 0.5 mL dose of reconstituted vaccine constitutes the whole vaccination; no larger or divided dose is described in the SPC.
Source scope: this is the SPC for STAMARIL, the single product named on this page. Older people receive the same dose as adults, but because of a potentially higher risk of yellow fever vaccine-associated severe and potentially fatal disease from 60 years of age the vaccine should only be given when there is a significant and unavoidable risk of acquiring yellow fever infection, such as travel to an area where there is current or periodic risk of transmission. STAMARIL should be administered only to persons who are or will be at risk of infection with yellow fever virus or who must be vaccinated to comply with international health regulations. In accordance with WHO advice and the International Health Regulations, the validity of a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever extends for the life of the person vaccinated. Because intramuscular injection can cause injection site haematoma, STAMARIL should not be given intramuscularly to persons with any bleeding disorder such as haemophilia or thrombocytopenia, or to persons on anticoagulant therapy - the subcutaneous route should be used instead. Regimen choice and eligibility remain governed by the current national immunisation schedule and official recommendations. Some sections of the product information we used were incomplete — check the full SPC.

Paediatric dose

Dose: Children aged 9 months and older: a single dose of 0.5 mL of the reconstituted vaccine - the same dose as adults
Route: Preferably subcutaneous. If the intramuscular route is used in accordance with official recommendations, the recommended sites are the anterolateral aspect of the thigh in children less than 12 months of age; the anterolateral aspect of the thigh, or the deltoid muscle if muscle mass is adequate, in children 12 months through 35 months of age; and the deltoid muscle from 36 months of age onwards. DO NOT INJECT INTRAVASCULARLY.
Frequency: A single dose, given at least 10 days before entering an endemic area
SPC section 4.2, paediatric population. Children from 6 to 9 months of age: vaccination against yellow fever is NOT recommended except in specific circumstances and in accordance with available official recommendations, in which case the dose is the same as in children aged 9 months and older. Children under 6 months of age: STAMARIL is contraindicated. The risk of yellow fever vaccine-associated neurotropic disease (YEL-AND) appears higher below 9 months of age, including infants exposed to vaccine through breastfeeding. In the most representative toddler study the most frequently reported reactions (32% to 35% of toddlers) were irritability, crying and appetite loss. No per-kilogram dose exists for this vaccine and none has been invented - it is a fixed 0.5 mL volume. Verify against a children's formulary and the current national immunisation schedule.

Dose independently re-sourced from UK Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) via the eMC — clinician-reviewed. Always confirm against the product SmPC and your local formulary before prescribing.

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients, or to eggs or chicken proteins
  • Severe hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis) after a previous dose of any yellow fever vaccine
  • Age less than 6 months
  • Immunosuppression, whether congenital or acquired - including individuals receiving high-dose systemic corticosteroids (e.g. a daily dose of 20 mg, or 2 mg/kg body weight, of prednisone or equivalent for 2 weeks or more, or a daily dose of 40 mg or more of prednisone for more than one week), any other medicinal products including biologicals with known immunosuppressive properties, radiotherapy, cytotoxic drugs, or any other condition resulting in immunocompromised status
  • History of thymus dysfunction (including myasthenia gravis, thymoma)
  • Thymectomy (for any reason)
  • Symptomatic HIV infection
  • Asymptomatic HIV infection when accompanied by evidence of impaired immune function
  • Moderate or severe febrile illness or acute illness

Side effects

  • Very common: headache, drowsiness, appetite loss, myalgia, irritability, crying, pyrexia, asthenia, injection site pain/tenderness, vomiting
  • Common: nausea, rash, arthralgia, injection site erythema/redness, haematoma, induration and oedema/swelling
  • Uncommon: dizziness, abdominal pain, pruritus, injection site papule
  • Rare: rhinitis, diarrhoea
  • Very rare: yellow fever vaccine-associated viscerotropic disease (YEL-AVD), yellow fever vaccine-associated neurotropic disease (YEL-AND), seizure, aseptic meningitis
  • Not known: lymphadenopathy, anaphylactoid reaction including angioedema, paraesthesia, urticaria, influenza-like illness
  • In clinical studies the most frequently reported reactions in the general population (12% to 18% of subjects) were headache, asthenia, injection site pain and myalgia; reactions usually occurred within the first three days except pyrexia, which occurred between Day 4 and Day 14, and usually lasted no more than 3 days
  • This side-effect list may be incomplete — check the full SPC.

Monitoring

  • As with all injectable vaccines, appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be readily available in case of anaphylaxis or other severe hypersensitivity reaction following administration
  • Syncope (fainting) can occur following, or even before, vaccination as a psychogenic response to the needle injection - have procedures in place to prevent injury from faints and to manage syncopal reactions
  • Before administering, identify those who might be at increased risk of adverse reactions following vaccination (see contraindications)
  • Instruct vaccinees to seek medical attention for any symptoms suggestive of YEL-AND after vaccination - high fever with headache or confusion, personality change, extreme tiredness, stiff neck, fits, or loss of movement or feeling in part or all of the body - and to tell the clinician they received yellow fever vaccine. Most YEL-AND cases have had onset within 30 days of vaccination, and most YEL-AVD cases within 10 days; the mortality rate for YEL-AVD has been around 60%

Clinical monograph

How it works

The attenuated 17D-strain virus replicates to elicit durable neutralising antibody and cell-mediated immunity against yellow fever virus.

Prescribing in practice

  • As a live vaccine it is contraindicated in significant immunosuppression, in infants below the recommended age, and generally in pregnancy and breastfeeding unless exposure risk is unavoidable, and rare serious viscerotropic and neurotropic reactions can occur particularly at older ages.
  • It must be administered only at a registered yellow fever vaccination centre, with an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis issued where required for entry.
  • True egg allergy is a contraindication as the vaccine is produced in eggs.

Monitoring

No routine laboratory monitoring is required; counsel on and observe for the rare but serious viscerotropic and neurotropic adverse events in the days to weeks after vaccination.

Counselling the patient

  • You will receive a certificate that may be required for entry to certain countries; carry it when travelling.
  • Seek urgent medical attention if you develop high fever, severe headache or marked malaise in the weeks after vaccination.
  • Tell the team about egg allergy, pregnancy, or any condition or medicine affecting your immune system.

Evidence & guidelines

Use is governed by International Health Regulations and UK travel immunisation guidance (the Green Book).

Reference: UKHSA Green Book Chapter 35; Drug verified in RxNorm (NLM); confirm dosing against the manufacturer SPC (eMC). Verify against your local formulary and current prescribing references before prescribing. The structured dose values shown have been reviewed by a clinician. Monograph status: clinician-reviewed (2026-07-04).

Related

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

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