Infections/Infectious Diseases
Latest articles on Infections/Infectious Diseases
Most childhood vaccines give immunity to 90% to 99% of the children who get them. But children who haven't responded to vaccination have to depend on the immunity of others around them for protection.
The Medical College of Wisconsin's Deidre L. Faust, MD, notes that while shingles can occur at any time, the incidence increases with age as immunity seems to wane.
The Medical College of Wisconsin's Deidre L. Faust, MD, answers questions about Zostavax, the shingles vaccine that has been available since 2006.
Hepatitis C, spread primarily through contact with blood or blood products, is considered part of a "silent epidemic" - many infected people show no symptoms of liver disease.
Deidre Faust, MD, reminds patients with genital herpes to avoid sexual contact during outbreaks and use condoms to reduce the risk of transmission.
It's important to see your doctor as soon as you suspect that you might have shingles, advises Deidre L. Faust, MD. Early treatment can often reduce the risk for pain and complications.
"The most common cause of liver cancer worldwide is chronic hepatitis B infection," says Dr. Kia Saeian, Associate Professor of Medicine and and Director of the Froedtert & Medical College Hepatitis Treatment Program.
"Acute hepatitis can cause short-term jaundice, fatigue which is severe in some people, and itching, which is very common," says Dr. Kia Saeian. "Most people with hepatitis A get a complete resolution of their symptoms."
Dr. Deidre Faust explains why some common heart valve defects, like mitral valve prolapse, no longer require antibiotic prophylaxis prior to dental procedures.
First identified in the early 1960s, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus began infecting hospital and nursing-home patients in the mid-1970s. More recently, it's become a public health problem. Dr. Peter Sohnle explains why.
Symptoms of Bell's palsy usually begin suddenly. They range in severity from mild weakness to total paralysis, and often cause significant facial distortion. Dr. John Rhee discusses its diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
Shingles is an outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the varicella zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox. "It can be quite painful, even to a gentle touch," notes John J. W. Fangman, MD.
There have been at least 165 cases of Salmonellosis reported from 31 states this year. Wisconsin has had the most cases, with 20 found as of October 11. No deaths have occurred, but 30 people have been hospitalized.
Dr. Julie Mitchell explains that immunizations prevent disease not only by protecting the vaccinated individual, but also by reducing the transmission of the disease so that it's less likely that anyone gets it.
"The presenting signs of otitis media are rapid or acute onset of difficulty which includes fever, pain and irritability," says Joseph E. Kerschner, MD, FACS, FAAP. Treatment depends on the cause of the ear infection - either viral or bacterial.
When the flu season hits us - and it will - is there any way to avoid the worst of it? The simplest and surest way is to be vaccinated.
No human cases of WNV have been reported in Wisconsin yet this year, but 21, with one death, occurred in 2006 and the Milwaukee Health Department identified 90 pools of mosquitoes carrying the virus.
Dr. Tyshunda Manning says that many STDs are treatable or curable. "Early detection and treatment can lead to fewer long-term consequences," she says, but prevention is of primary concern.
Rotavirus is very contagious, spreading easily from children who are already infected. In fact, nearly every child in the US has been infected by age 5.
People who camp, hike, or work on gardens and other leafy outdoor areas during the summer are at the greatest risk of being bitten by ticks, but you are vulnerable whenever the temperature at ground level is warm enough for ticks to be active.
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