DTaP Vaccine

DTaP The DTaP vaccine protects against: diphtheria — a serious infection of the throat that can block the airway and cause severe breathing difficultytetanus (lockjaw) — a nerve disease, which can occur at any age, caused by toxin-producing bacteria contaminating a woundpertussis (whooping cough) — a respiratory illness with cold symptoms that progress to severe coughing (the "whooping" sound occurs when the child breathes in deeply after a se

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Pneumococcal Vaccine

Pneumococcal Vaccine (PCV) The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) protects against pneumococcal infections. The bacterium is a leading cause of serious infections, including pneumonia, blood infections, and bacterial meningitis. Children under 2 years old, adults over 65 years old, and people with certain medical conditions are most susceptible to serious pneumococcal infections. The pneumococcus bacterium is spread through person-to-person

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Hepatitis B Vaccine

Hepatitis B Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects the liver. Those who are infected can become lifelong carriers of the virus and may develop long-term problems such as cirrhosis (liver disease) or cancer of the liver. Immunization Schedule Hepatitis B vaccine usually is given as a series of three injections. The first shot is often given to infants shortly after birth. If the mother of a newborn carries the hepatitis B virus in her blood, the infa

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Staph Infections part 3

MRSA You may have heard about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria with a resistance to the antibiotics usually used to treat staph infections. Although MRSA infections can be harder to treat, in most cases they heal with proper care. Most MRSA infections involve the skin, but sometimes MRSA can cause more serious problems, such as bone infections or pneumonia. MRSA pneumonia is rare, but is more of a ri

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Staph Infections part 2

Complications of Staph Infections Staph bacteria can cause toxic shock syndrome, cellulitis, and these infections: Folliculitis and Boils Folliculitis is an infection of hair follicles, tiny pockets under the skin where hair shafts (strands) grow. In folliculitis, tiny white-headed pimples appear at the base of hair shafts, sometimes with a small red area around each pimple. This infection often occurs in areas where there's been friction or

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