Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough symptoms include severe coughing fits and whooping sound produced during inhalation. The bacteria spreads via airborne droplets produced during sneezing or coughing. There is a whooping cough vaccine that is typically administered during childhood vaccinations. Whooping cough is considered highly...
What are adenovirus facts? Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Adenoviruses are extremely common viruses that infect humans at any time of year. The viruses can cause a number of different illnesses, although respiratory disease and conjunctivitis are among the most common. Most infections are asymptomatic, meaning they do not cause symptoms and signs. When...
While shingles itself is not contagious, the herpes zoster virus that causes it is Herpes zoster is a virus that causes both shingles and chickenpox. While shingles itself is not contagious, the virus is contagious and can be spread to people who have never had chickenpox or have not received a vaccine. After a person...
Effects of the Shingrix vaccine last for at least four years in most people The effects of the Shingrix vaccine last for at least four years in most people and may last even longer in some. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you do not need a booster dose after getting the...
What is the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine? The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is the first of its kind; an mRNA vaccine that uses modified genetic material to induce the body to manufacture virus proteins. These proteins make the body develop antibodies to coronavirus, protecting from COVID-19 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency...
What are basophils? Though basophils constitute a minuscule percentage of white cells, they play an important role in the immune responses to infectious bacteria and parasites. Basophils are a type of white blood cell (leukocyte), which constitutes one of the components of the immune system. Along with other white cells, basophils play an important role...
What is septic shock? Sepsis causes reduced blood pressure despite an adequate amount of blood in the system lowering the blood flow to vital organs. Septic shock occurs when organs begin to shut down due to sepsis. If you have ever had a medical procedure, you know that doctors are always worried about infection after...
The good news is hepatitis C is curable. Though it is a chronic infection, recently developed drugs can clear the virus completely from the system. Well, the good news is hepatitis C is curable. Though it is a chronic infection, recently developed drugs can clear the virus completely from the system. If the viral load...
What are sepsis and septic shock? Sepsis and septic shock represent different stages of the same medical condition, so the symptoms can be similar. When bacteria get into your blood, they can cause an infection that becomes life-threatening. The organisms can enter the body through different access points. People can suffer from sepsis and septic...
What are white blood cells? White blood cells, also known as leukocytes, make up one of the four components of blood. They can rise for several reasons including stress, smoking, allergies, bacterial or viral infections, as well as certain drugs. White blood cells, also called leukocytes, are one of the four components that make up...