Remember that there are two pneumococcal vaccines. The vaccine for younger children, which is known as PCV7 and goes by the name of Prevnar, is available for children under the age of five. The vaccine for older children and adults is known as PPV23 and goes by the name of Pneumovax. It is available for individuals over the age of twenty-four months. More…
What is HPV and what kind of problems does it cause?
HPV is a virus that can cause warts as well as certain kinds of dysplasia (precancerous conditions) and cancers. The warts include the common warts seen on hands and feet as well as rectal or genital warts. HPV is also associated with a number of genital-area lesions, including anal, penile, and vulvar dysplasias and cancers. However, the most common association is the link between HPV and cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer.
What is meningococcus and what kind of problems does it cause?
Meningococcus is another name for the Neisseria meningitides bacterium. It is a dangerous bacterium that can lead to sepsis (a bloodstream infection) or meningitis (an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal fluid) or both. Milder infections can lead to pneumonia or a joint infection.
The Tdap vaccine is an adolescent and adult variation of the DTaP vaccine, which is recommended only for children under age seven. The Tdap vaccine differs in that it has less diphtheria toxoid and less pertussis antigen than the DTaP vaccine. More…
What is hepatitis A and what kind of problems does it cause?
Hepatitis A is a virus that attacks the liver. It usually causes a short-lived illness that includes a fever, a decreased appetite, and occasionally some nausea and vomiting. In addition, it can lead to jaundice, a condition in which the skin turns yellow. More…