The flu, or influenza, vaccine contains a number of ingredients, including preservatives, material of the virus it is protecting against and other agents to assist in the efficacy of the shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...
Hepatitis B is a viral infection affecting the liver and is spread by contact with blood, semen or other bodily fluids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 800,000 to 1.4 million people in the United...
Squalene oil is a natural substance produced by plants and animals. It is produced by your liver and used in your body as a precursor to cholesterol. It is also present in human sebum, and on the skin it functions as an emollient, preserving...
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the leading cause of death from skin disease. It is cancer arising from melanocytes, cells that produce melanin in the skin. Melanin is...
Tetanus, a disease caused by the toxin, tetanospasmin, kills one out of every 10 people, according to "Mosby’s Drug Consult." Clostridium tetani bacteria exist in soil as spores and can enter the body via puncture wounds, such as...
There are currently two vaccines approved for use in preventing meningococcal meningitis which is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. The vaccines are the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) and the meningococcal polysaccharide...
The flu virus mutates frequently, so flu shot components change seasonally. Scientists can never be certain which flu strains will affect a given geographic region. To combat this, vaccine manufacturers use several different flu strains in the...
The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is one of two vaccines used to prevent infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae, bacteria that cause middle ear infections, pneumonia, meningitis and bacteremia (infection in the blood). Infections caused by...
Hepatitis is a range of liver diseases that involve an inflammation of the liver. Most forms of hepatitis result from infection with a hepatitis virus. In autoimmune hepatitis, the immune system attacks the liver, causing an inflammation. The most...
Food sold in the United States is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety, wholesomeness and proper labeling. Included in its regulations, the FDA defines "natural flavors" and specifies the type of substances generally regarding...
A well-functioning immune system is paramount for protection against illness. For thousands of years, herbs have been used to balance and strengthen the body's defenses. Pharmacologically active components of herbs can be found in leaves, flowers,...
Keeping your baby's immune system strong and healthy is the best way to prevent infections from any of the millions of germs she is exposed to every day. A strong immune system will also reduce your baby's chances of suffering an adverse vaccine...
