If you’re looking for information about the flu, viruses, and contagious diseases, you’ll find it here. Learn about the different types and subtypes of influenza and other infectious diseases, how they’re contracted, how they spread, how they’re treated, and how you can avoid them in the first place.
Over 17 million Americans suffer from asthma, and 5.5 million of those are children (in fact, it’s the number-one source of chronic illness in kids). An asthma attack occurs when the air passages become constricted and inflamed due to some trigger. This leads to trouble breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, and/or coughing. Asthma triggers can include...
What is Tamiflu? ...
Ever wonder why you can’t just walk into your local drugstore and purchase antibiotics over the counter whenever you get sick? Although antibiotics have played a major role in modern medicine in controlling the impact of pathogens, in recent years antibiotic resistance has become a global problem and an increasing concern within the medical community....
A superbug staph infection, also called a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, is caused by a strain of staph bacteria that over time has evolved to become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections. While most MRSA infections occur in hospitals and other healthcare settings (called HA-MRSA), and are associated with...
While antibiotics are generally effective at treating the bacteria that cause infections, there are certain strains of bacteria or “superbugs” that have developed resistance. Antibiotics that have worked in the past to cure infections created by bacteria do not have any effect on ridding the body of these types of bacteria. Superbugs have developed through...
Since influenza is such a highly contagious disease that is spread by coughing, sneezing, and direct physical contact with objects that carry the virus (such as doorknobs), it’s important to know what symptoms to look for if you start to feel sick. This way, you can stay home and avoid spreading the dreaded virus to...
While influenza is in most cases more of a hassle than dangerous, it can last for up to two weeks and in most people triggers a wide range of miserable symptoms. In rare cases, the flu can lead to medical complications, which is why it’s always recommended that have a doctor assess your symptoms. In...
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever in humans, which affects multiple organ systems in the body and is often accompanied by bleeding. Early symptoms include sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, and a sore throat, with more severe symptoms such as...
Now that the first case of the Ebola virus has been reported in the US, it’s more important than ever to understand how this virus works. Both the Ebola and Marburg viruses are from the same virus family and behave in roughly similar manners. In order to safeguard your family’s physical and mental health, it’s...
As Ebola hemorrhagic fever continues to get more coverage in the worldwide media, it’s natural to feel some level of apprehension about whether you or someone you love could contract this virus. Not only is it critical for your peace of mind to know the symptoms, but to also know roughly how long they can...