What is vaccination? Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases, before they come into contact with them. It uses your body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger. Vaccines train your immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when […]
What is Yellow Fever? Yellow fever is a vector-borne acute viral haemorrhagic disease caused by an infection with the Yellow Fever virus (YFV). The YFV is a single-stranded RNA virus in the Flaviviridae family. The virus is transmitted by a bite of an infected mosquito vector.
What is Tuberculosis? Tuberculosis or TB, as it’s commonly called, is a contagious infection that usually attacks the lungs and is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Tuberculosis is curable and preventable. TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs
What is Typhoid Fever? Typhoid fever, also called enteric fever, or simply ‘typhoid’, is a systemic illness caused by a bacterial infection with Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhi or serotypes Paratyphi A, B or C. In the pre-antibiotic era, typhoid carried a mortality of 5-20%. However there are currently very effective antibiotics for treatment.
What is Tick bite fever? Tick bite fever is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. It is caused by tiny bacterial organisms called rickettsias. They are responsible for a group of diseases called ‘spotted fevers’ that occur in many parts of the world. Wild and domestic animals are also infected, and act as sources of
What is Tetanus? Tetanus, commonly referred to as ‘lockjaw’, is a potentially fatal infection that is caused by the toxin produced by Clostridium tetani, a bacterium that sometimes infects wounds. This organism is often found in soil, street dust, or animal and human excrement. Tetanus occurs in all parts of the world, but occurs most frequently in
What is Streptococcal pharyngitis? Streptococcal pharyngitis, also known as strep throat, is an infection of the back of the throat including the tonsils caused by group A streptococcus (GAS).[1] Common symptoms include fever, sore throat, red tonsils, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. A headache and nausea or vomiting may also occur. All specimens
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What is Staphylococcus aureus? Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen that is part of the normal flora on the skin and upper respiratory tract. It is capable of causing a wide range of infections such as endocarditis, food poisoning, cellulitis, toxic shock syndrome, skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, pneumonia and bloodstream infections.
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What is a Staphylococcus infection? A staphylococcus infection or staph infection is an infection caused by members of the Staphylococcus genus of bacteria. These bacteria commonly inhabit the skin and nose where they are innocuous, but may enter the body through cuts or abrasions which may be nearly invisible. All specimens that are sent to
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What is Smallpox? Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family. It was declared eradicated in 1980 following a global immunization campaign led by the World Health Organization.
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