What is whooping cough? Pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial infection. It causes severe coughing that sometimes causes a 'whooping' sound when your child breathes in. Pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can invade your child’s respiratory system. Whooping cough causes severe coughing that sometimes...
What is a tapeworm infection? After your doctor confirms that you have tapeworm parasite they may prescribe praziquantel, albendazole, or niclosamide. People around the world are quite often infected with parasites, including worms. There are different kinds of parasitic worms that will invade your body if given the chance. One of them is the tapeworm....
What is mono? Symptoms of mono in kids may last one to two months and can consist of swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, aches, sore throat, and enlarged spleen. They may experience none, some, all of the symptoms listed. Mononucleosis, or mono, is an infectious illness that is easily passed from person to person. A...
What is hepatitis C? The term “hepatitis” refers to any inflammation of the liver. Inflammation of the liver can be caused by toxins, medications, as well as various diseases and infections. Hepatitis C (Hep C) is a type of viral infection attacking the liver caused by the Hep C virus (HCV) The HCV virus infects...
Hantavirus and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) facts Figure 1: Picture of Sin Nombre hantavirus particles; SOURCE: CDC/D. Loren Ketai, MD Hantaviruses are RNA viruses transmitted to humans by rodents (rodent-borne). Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome also referred to as HPS, is a disease in which, in the late stage of infection with a hantavirus subtype. Early symptoms...
What is MRSA? Readers Comments 3 Share Your Story Symptoms of a MRSA Skin Infection MRSA is the short form of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and refers to strains of gram-positive coccal-shaped (round) bacteria that are resistant to several antibiotics. MRSA causes mainly skin infections in nonhospitalized people; in hospitalized patients, it can cause sepsis, surgical...
What is norovirus? Share Your Story Picture of Norovirus Virus by BigStock Norovirus is an enterovirus that causes food poisoning symptoms in individuals. It is sometimes termed the "stomach flu," but it is not related to the true flu viruses (influenza viruses) that cause respiratory problems. Norovirus is considered by the U.S. Centers for Disease...
What is Salmonella? Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Salmonella is a genus name that represents gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria that cause disease in humans and other warm-blooded animals. Salmonella can cause various diseases, such as food poisoning, gastrointestinal inflammation, typhoid fever, and sepsis. The CDC estimates that every year in the United States about 1.2 million...
Histoplasmosis (Cave disease) facts Histoplasmosis is a fungus that typically infects the lungs, causing pneumonia. Histoplasmosis is a lung disease caused by an infection with a fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum. The pulmonary (lung) infection results from inhaling airborne spores of the fungus. The fungus is common in the U.S. in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys...
What is hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD)? Readers Comments 4 Share Your Story Multiple, discrete, small, vesicular lesions on the fingers and palms; similar lesions were also present on the feet. Hand, foot, and mouth disease are caused by viruses called enteroviruses. Many different types of these viruses can cause the disease, but in...