Your immune system consists of a intricate network of organs, hormones, and cells that collectively work to protect your body from disease-causing microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria. If your immune system is weak, you are more...
Children begin receiving immunizations in infancy to protect them from contracting dangerous childhood diseases. Health care professionals recommend that children receive about 30 vaccination doses by the time they are 2 years of age, with some...
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 A is a liver disease spread through personal contact or by consuming contaminated food or water. In 1983, for example, 203 people in Oklahoma contracted Hepatitis A; of these, 92 percent had eaten at the same restaurant in the preceding...
Salmonella typhi bacterium, usually contracted through contaminated food and water sources, can cause typhoid disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the United States recommends that anyone traveling to typhoid-endemic areas...
Hemophilus influenza type b, or Hib disease, can cause serious, sometimes life-threatening health problems in infants and young children. The Hib vaccine is very effective in preventing Hib disease. It is recommended for all children under five...
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...
Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, also known as meninges caused by a bacterial infection. There are three main types of bacterial meningitis: meningococcal, pneumococcal and HiB....
Diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis are dangerous because they can affect your health negatively. This is why the standard TDAP vaccine was implemented in the 1940s. It since has been modified to produce fewer side effects and now...
Vaccines are generally required in order for children to enter public school and attend child care programs. A medical waiver not to vaccinate can be signed and utilized in some school districts. As a parent or caregiver, you should know what...
The typhoid disease originates from a bacteria called salmonella typhi, normally found in contaminated water and food sources in underdeveloped countries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC recommends a typhoid vaccination for...
Salmonella typhi bacterium, normally found in contaminated food and water sources in underdeveloped countries, produces an acute infection known as typhoid fever disease. Individuals traveling from the United States to typhoid-endemic areas should...
Hepatitis B, or HBV, is a virus that attacks the liver, causing acute and chronic liver disease. Infection occurs when the blood and body fluids of an HBV-infected person is transmitted to another. The World Health Organization, or WHO, states...
Before the development of the chicken pox, or varicella, vaccine, about 4 million cases of chicken pox occurred annually in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 11,000 people required...
The bacteria called Haemophilus are a small gram negative bacillus which is normally found in the throat and nasal passages of a large percentage of adults. According to Elmer Koneman, M.D., prior to the availability of the Haemophilus influenzae...
Manufacturers use preservatives in many products that people consume and depend on for health. Many companies also use them in cosmetics. The intent of preservative use is well-meaning, because they prevent botulism, mold and bacteria, which gives...
Polio -- formerly called infantile paralysis -- is a viral disease. Polio virus, which usually infects children, multiplies in the intestinal tract and spreads by fecal contamination of food and water, especially where sanitation is poor. The...
The DTaP vaccine protects against three potentially deadly diseases: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that is easily spread between people. Similarly, pertussis can also be spread through the air or by...
Start with usage. While the name change process may take a while to complete, you can begin using your child's new name as soon as he is adopted. If you are only looking to change his last name, this will not be an issue. For adoptive parents who...
Strengthening the immune system is an ongoing process for cancer survivors. Things such as exercise, eating well, meditation, visualization, aromatherapy and dancing help the body maintain a strong immune system and help decrease stress levels....
Risks and side effects from vaccines have become more widely publicized lately, especially those for children needing a DTP or Tdap, which are bundled vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. For those adults and parents of children needing...
The advantages of using health informatics include improvements to the efficient delivery, cost and quality of healthcare. A multidisciplinary field, health informatics encompasses information science, information systems, technology and...
Tetanus, commonly known as lockjaw, is a reaction of the body caused by bacteria. While most people believe you get tetanus from stepping on or scratching or puncturing yourself with a rusty object, tetanus is also found in soils, dust and manure....
Reports about vaccine dangers and side effects from a variety of vaccines given to children and adults have become more common, and alleged risks may cause some parents to avoid giving routine vaccines to their children . TD is no exception. The...
Arming yourself with information prior to the doctor visit can alleviate some of the apprehension associated with taking your bundle of joy to be vaccinated. Routine vaccinations are recommended in the United States by the American Academy of...
Rotavirus is one of the most serious causes of severe diarrhea, fever, and vomiting in young children. The virus is shed into the stool and vomit of infected individuals before, during and after the symptomatic period. Healthy children become...
Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is a disease that causes severe, violent coughing fits. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that pertussis is quite contagious, and is spread through close contact with an...
In July 2010, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, issued professional guidelines updating its 2009 recommendations for an immunization campaign to reduce the spread of influenza. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and...
Being in an abusive marriage is traumatic--and yet, it may be difficult to make the decision to leave. You may feel that you have nowhere to go, or you worry about your ability to provide for yourself and your children. You may be terrified about...
An inspirational story about a man who has been HIV Positive for 22 years. There was very little information when he was infected; it was still called GRID or gay related immune deficiency. His ride was a celebration of the fact that he's still...
Autoimmune disorders are conditions that occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders. Learn about the various autoimmune disorders including...
