Streptococcus pneumoniae is a naturally occurring bacterium found in the back of the nasal passages. Most people carry the bacteria, also called pneumococcus, for most of their lives without incident. When the bacteria are spread to other parts of...
A vaccine is a suspension of weakened disease-causing organisms that are given to a person to stimulate his immune system and thus protect him against the disease caused by the organism. Required vaccines for children entering school vary among...
The lower portions of the lungs are normally sterile, that is, free of bacteria. When normal lung defenses fail, bacteria can infect the lungs, causing pneumonia. While most people recover from pneumonia, it can be life threatening. According to...
Bronchial pneumonia, also known as bronchopneumonia, is an infection of the bronchial tubes of the lungs and the most common form of pneumonia in infants. If your child shows symptoms such as high fever, productive cough, loss of appetite,...
The meninges are the protective layer of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. The illness meningitis is an infection of this protective layer. Bacteria or viruses can cause meningitis. While viral meningitis is more common, bacterial...
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain. In general, meningitis causes a stiff neck, stiff back, severe headache, body aches, sleepiness or an inability to wake up. It is an emergency situation that can rapidly lead to...
The bloodstream is normally sterile. Serious infections in various body locations, however, can seed the blood with bacteria, a condition known as bacteremia. Bacteremia may develop as a complication of many types of infections, including...
Streptococcal bacteria are a major cause of disease. Different kinds of strep, including Streptococcus pneumoniae, group A Streptococcus and group B Streptococcus, demonstrate differing affinities for various body sites. Strep infections range...
The immune system protects the body from infections. People living with HIV/AIDS have a weakened immune system, which increases their susceptibility to a variety of infections, including pneumonia. The same germs that cause pneumonia in otherwise...
Sinusitis or sinus infection is the inflammation of the air-filled cavities of the skull, also known as sinuses. According to the National Health Interview Survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11.4 percent adults in...
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, primarily weakens the immune response by depleting disease fighting blood cells called CD4+. According to MayoClinic.com, HIV makes a person more susceptible to certain types of cancers and to infections...
Tonsils are two small, almond-shaped masses of lymphoid tissue found in the back of the throat. They often become a source of infection, pain and inflammation. A physician may recommend removal if the tonsils cause numerous infections, sore...
C-reactive protein, or CRP, is a protein produced by your liver in response to inflammation. It was originally identified in 1930 by researchers at the Rockefeller Institute who discovered it reacted with the C polysaccharide from pneumococcus,...
Your newborn is likely exposed to several contaminants and germs. A mother's antibodies are still inside her newborn, actively working at fighting off infections and illness until his immune system is developed at around 6 months of age. One...
Ear infections are very common, especially in children. They generally come in one of two forms. The first is an outer canal skin infection, called otitis externa. That infection is typically caused by common bacteria that live on the skin,...
Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the tissue that surrounds the brain. Symptoms of meningitis in children include headache, fever, vomiting, photophobia (fear of bright lights) and neck stiffness. Several antibiotics can treat bacterial...
Pneumonia can be a mild to life-threatening illness. The most common pneumonia-causing germ in adults is streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus, according to The National Library of Medicine (NLM). This bacteria can live in the nose,...
Ear infections are very common, especially in children. They generally come in one of two forms. The first is an outer canal skin infection, called otitis externa. This infection is typically caused by common bacteria that live on the skin,...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pneumococcal meningitis is an inflammation or infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by the bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae, or...
The lungs are a pair of organs in the chest responsible for respiration, a process that involves breathing in air and adding fresh oxygen to the blood, which then carries the oxygen to the cells. Many factors and conditions can alter how the lungs...
Meningitis is a potentially deadly disease that is very contagious and can affect people of all ages, races and genders, though young adults in their teens and early 20s are among the most susceptible, according to the Meningitis Foundation of...
An infection in the blood due to the presence of bacteria is called bacteremia. Bacterial infections in the blood are classified as either community-acquired or nosocomial. Community-acquired infections are contracted by individuals who are...
The continuity of the lung airways with the external environment exacts a high level of risk for infection compared to other body organs. Bacteria, fungi and viruses can infect the upper and lower airways or the air sacs. Similar symptoms may...
Blood infections are commonly associated with the presence of large levels of bacteria in the blood as well as other microbes such as fungi and viruses. Bacterial or microbial infection of the blood is usually due unsanitary practices, or caused...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the term "flu" is used to describe infection from a number of different viruses, including influenza A, influenza B and H1N1. Pneumonia, by contrast, refers to a lung infection and...
The spleen is an organ that plays a vital role in protecting the body from infections, since the special cells present in the spleen kill the bacteria or germs that are present in the blood. An individual may need to get the spleen removed due to...
Headaches are a ubiquitous problem and a common reason for doctor visits. Most headaches are benign, with no serious underlying cause. Often people have a particular pattern of headaches. They might become concerned if there's a change in the...
A painful and short infection of the middle ear is called acute otitis media. Acute otitis media occurs due to a block in the Eustachian tube. The tube connects the back of the nose to the middle ear; a block will lead to pus collection behind the...
C-Reactive protein, CRP, is commonly tested in patients with cardiovascular disease. The levels of CRP in your blood are greatly elevated when an area of your body is inflamed. Inflammation can occur as a result of injury, infection or an ongoing...
