Infectious Diseases

The pandemic of H1N1 influenza virus is lurking over our heads. There is little time left to decide whether to receive your H1N1 vaccination or not. The Center for Disease Control in conjunction...

Candida albicans is a fungus that can cause yeast infections in the mouth, skin or vagina. A Candida albicans infection is often spread through direct person-to-person contact or sexual intercourse.

A yeast infection causes pain and discomfort that can take more than a week to go away. No matter where the infection is on your body, treat it with a combination of dietary changes and hydrogen...

Intestinal infections, which are sometimes referred to as the "stomach flu," can wreak havoc on the body and cause people to experience painful and debilitating symptoms. Fortunately, these...

Quinine is a prescription medication used to treat malaria. The drug has the potential to cause many side effects, but few of them pose a threat for long-term or permanent damage.

The Enterococcus faecalis bacterium, or E. faecalis, is part of the normal environment of the stomach and intestine. When there is an overgrowth of Enterococcus faecalis, illness can result....

Athlete's foot is a condition that develops in between your toes due to a fungal infection. Other fungal infections are closely related to athlete's foot, including ringworm and jock itch.

Eye infections can be uncomfortable, painful and cause permanent damage if not treated. Traditional medicines can be effective, but there are several homeopathic treatments that can work wonders,...

Humans share the world with a wide variety of fungi, which are living organisms that can be found in the air, soil, water and plants, as well as on and in the human body. MedlinePlus says that...

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Typically, meningitis is caused by microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, according...

Staph and strep are common names for two types of bacteria that cause different types of infections in humans. Both types of bacteria typically inhabit the skin and nasal passages and occasionally...

A pinworm infection occurs in the intestine and is caused by pinworm, threadworm or seatworm. This infection is common in the United States and occurs most often in children. The most common way...

Plantar warts are viral infections caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV that appear of the soles of the feet. According to the Mayo Clinic, plantar warts are not cancerous, and while they...

Influenza viruses are infectious agents that can sicken many people at once, as happens in a pandemic or seasonal flu epidemic. There is no cure for a virus, so prevention is key.

Mupirocin ointment is a topical antibiotic. It is often used to treat a skin infection called impetigo; in addition it's used to treat and prevent Staphylococcus aureus, better known as staph....

Developing a strategy to avoid infection caused by a urinary catheter is critical to good health outcomes for catheterized patients. Of the 600,000 hospital patients affected annually by urinary...

Staphylococcus Aureus is an extremely common and potentially life threatening infection among humans. Staph can be found residing harmlessly on the skin and can be introduced into a surgical site...

Influenza is a contagious viral infection of the respiratory system causing illnesses in animals and people. Because the influenza virus reproduces quickly, can mutate easily and is easy to...

Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is a common problem among Americans caused by fungi entering the nail through some type of wound. The fungi then grow and multiply if hosted in a warm,...

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, can cause infections that range from mild to very serious life threatening ones. Most cases of MRSA occur in hospitals or other...

Salmonella is a food-borne illness that can occur in poultry and other animal products, fruits and vegetables. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevejntion growing conditions,...

CMV, or cytomegalovirus, is an virus that is a frequent cause of birth defects in babies whose mothers carry it. Approximately one out of every 750 children develops CMV, according to the U.S....

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that often starts in the lungs and spreads to other parts of the body, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of...

Staph infections are caused by the Staphylococcus group of bacteria. Complications range from very mild to life-threatening. Skin maladies, pneumonia, gastrointestinal problems and toxic shock...

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This disease attacks the lungs in most cases and was once the most deadly illness in the United States, according to...

Fleas are wingless, flat-bodied parasites that live off the blood of animals such as cats and dogs and can jump onto humans. Fleas can cause infections and allergies in and spread tapeworms to...

Blood staph infections are a condition where the infection gets into the bloodstream. These infections are referred to as bacteremia and septicemia. Staphylococcus, or staph as it is commonly...

According to the Mayo Clinic, Legionnaire's disease is a bacterial infection that presents itself as a chronic form of pneumonia. It was first diagnosed in 1976 after the bacteria caused several...

Staph infection (staphylococcus aureus) is a bacterial infection that can cause a variety of diseases in different areas of your body. It may result in a mild illness or a life-threatening...

As a tuberculosis patient, a balanced diet will help your system receive the micronutrients and protein you need to fight the disease that affects your lungs and possibly other parts of your body....

Approximately one out of every three Americans will develop a shingles infection in his lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sometimes called adult chicken pox,...

Meningitis is an infection of the membranes and fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord. Approximately 3,000 Americans develop meningitis each year, according to the National Meningitis...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is not called the superbug for nothing. This potentially deadly strain of bacteria causes extreme irritation and is becoming increasingly...

According to the Mayo Clinic, dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin. An MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) skin infection, on the other hand, is a contagious bacterial...

Typhoid fever is an infectious disease that affects roughly 400 Americans each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Untreated, typhoid has the potential to cause...

Septic shock is a condition that results from an infection and can have life-threatening complications. Children and the elderly are most susceptible as well as individuals who suffer from certain...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA (pronounced "mersa"), is a serious, contagious infection that can be life-threatening if left untreated. MRSA has become...

MRSA is Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, a drug-resistant bacterial staph infection. There are many complications and after effects of MRSA, including death.

Herpangina is a common childhood infection of the throat caused by a strain of the Coxsackie virus family. This virus lives in the human digestive tract and can be transmitted from person to...

Camoquin is a prescription medication sometimes called by its generic name Amodiaquine Hydrochloride. Despite its effectiveness for treating and preventing malaria, Camoquin poses a risk for side...

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is an infection caused by staph bacteria. There are two strains. HA-MRSA occurs in hospital or health-care facilities. CA-MRSA is...

Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection of the blood and intestinal tract, spread by feces in water. Worldwide, of the nearly 20 million infected, some 600,000 people die. Typhoid is ordinarily...

Pinworm infections occur more often than any other type of roundworm infection in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic. They commonly affect preschoolers and school-aged children, as...

Sulfonamides are a class of antibiotics. They were the first effective antibiotics, discovered in 1935. Sulfonamides are bacteriostatic because they prevent the growth of bacteria and give the...

Malaria is one of the most prevalent infections in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and one of the top three killers of all communicable diseases. The U.S. government in cooperation...

Salmonella is a type of bacterium that infects the intestinal tract. Typically, salmonella is contracted by eating or drinking contaminated products. According to the Centers for Disease Control...

Intestinal worms are parasites most commonly found in children ages 12 and younger. According to Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., up to 400 million children world-wide suffer from intestinal-...

Amebic parasites exist in the environment at all times. Some require a host to reproduce or multiply, while others are free-living parasites that can multiply without a host. The causes of amebic...

Biaxin (generic: clarithromycin) is an antibiotic medication prescribed to treat bacterial infections such as sinusitis and bronchitis. Biaxin's potential side effects range from mild symptoms to...

Oral thrush is a type of yeast infection that is found in the lining of the mouth and the tongue. The condition is caused by the fungus Candida albicans and generally affects people with weak...