A mother and her children arriving in Tokyo from Mexico City.
5 Ways to Manage the Family's Swine Flu
How to reassure children in ways that really soothes their worries.
Shingles
The Varicella-Zoster viruses is from the Herpes Family and causes Shingles in humans.
Get Your Shingles Vaccination
The CDC has formally recommended the shot for adults age 60 and older.
Lyme Disease
Cover image of <i>Beating Lyme</i>
Lyme Disease Book Takes
Controversial Stance
Can the infection spread by ticks become a chronic condition requiring long-term antibiotics?
Influenza
Father blowing son's nose
PTA Pushes Flu Shots for Kids
Influenza kills dozens a year, which explains why some parents are boosters for widespread vaccination.
Norovirus
3 Ways to Beat a Norovirus Outbreak
To vanquish stomach flu, enforce hand-washing, clean surfaces aggressively, and keep sick kids at home.
MRSA
6 Ways to Avoid Infections at the Gym
Athletes who share equipment can be exposed to staph and other bugs, but you can protect yourself.
Join a Discussion
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Infectious Diseases Community
From chicken pox to hepatitis, you can talk about infectious diseases—avoiding them and living with them—here.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is primarily caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the feces of a person infected with the virus. A two- or three-dose vaccination before exposure to the virus prevents the disease for as long as 20 years.
About | Prevention | Symptoms | Tests | Treatment | Managing
Hepatitis B
Vaccination can prevent most cases, but about 1 in 20 Americans has been infected. Transmission can occur during sexual relations; through injection with drugs; by sharing a toothbrush or razor; or by other contact with blood or body fluids. Most adults recover fully. But 5 to 10 percent develop a chronic infection.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C, the most serious form of hepatitis, affects approximately 4 million Americans; the true incidence is unknown, but it is estimated that there are between 35,000 and 185,000 new cases each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 percent of all acute viral hepatitis in the United States may be attributed to hepatitis C infection.
About | Prevention | Symptoms | Tests | Treatment | Managing
Lyme Disease
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Lyme disease was first identified in 1975 after large numbers of children in Lyme, Conn., and two neighboring towns were found to have arthritis. The symptoms are caused by infection with spiral-shaped bacteria that are carried by deer ticks.
About | Prevention | Symptoms | Tests | Treatment
Shingles
The pain of shingles can be intense and feel unrelenting. It may be itching, stabbing, or shooting. Three to four days before the telltale blisters develop, you may feel sluggish or have a fever, chills, a headache, an upset stomach, diarrhea, or difficulties with urination.
About | Prevention | Symptoms | Tests | Treatment | Managing
Tuberculosis
Since the introduction of effective antibiotics, tuberculosis management has changed dramatically. People with tuberculosis are now treated in general hospitals and clinics. However, misuse of drugs has led to the development of drug-resistant tuberculosis, which is harder to cure.
About | Prevention | Symptoms | Tests | Treatment | Managing
