Yellow fever in the Ribeirão Preto region at the turn of the 19th century: its scientific importance and economic repercussions

Abstract

Yellow fever in the Region of Ribeirao Preto at the turn of XIX century: scientific importance and economic repercussion. This historical review describes the bad situation of public health in Brazil during the XIX Century caused by multiple yellow fever outbreaks. The knowledge regarding to yellow fever at that time is also described. A short history is presented of the development of the Region of Ribeirao Preto, located in the Northeast of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, emphasising the actuation of immigrants and pioneer coffee farmers like Luiz Pereira Barreto. Yellow fever outbreaks occurred in the City of Sao Simao in 1896, 1898, and 1902 are described as well as an outbreak in the City of Ribeirao Preto occurring in 1903. It is shown that yellow fever outbreaks were stopped in the 2 cities by Emilio Ribas who led the fight against the transmitting mosquito Aedes aegypti. Emilio Ribas, helped by Adolpho, Lutz and Luiz Pereira Barreto, promoted scientific experiments in order to confirm the vectorial transmission of yellow fever and to annul the supposed importance of other kinds of contagion. The yellow fever outbreaks caused damage to the development of Sao Simao and influenced the transference of the economic pole of the region to the City of Ribeirao Preto. The vector control work done during yellow fever outbreak and the scientific experiments on the transmission of yellow fever were important for the development of medical science and fpublic health in Brazil.