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Whooping Cough (Pertussis) in Adults What is whooping cough (pertussis)? Whooping cough (pertussis) is a very contagious respiratory illness. It mainly affects babies and young children, but adults can also get it. Whooping cough caused thousands of deaths in the 1930s and 1940s

Fever What is a fever? A fever is a body temperature that is higher than normal. It often means there is an abnormal process occurring in the body. Exercise, hot weather, inflammation, infection, vaccines, and many other things can make body temperature rise. What causes a fever

Pharyngitis and Tonsillitis in Children What are pharyngitis and tonsillitis in children? Pharyngitis is redness, pain, and swelling of the throat (pharynx). Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils. The tonsils are a pair of tissue masses on both sides at the back of the

Poison Ivy Rash in Children What is poison ivy rash? Poison ivy rash is an itchy, allergic reaction to poison ivy. Poison ivy is a very common plant in the U.S. It's similar to two other plants called poison oak and poison sumac. The plants cause allergic dermatitis. This means

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in Children What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) in children? A urinary tract infection is inflammation of part of the system that takes urine out of the body. It’s caused by bacteria. The urinary tract includes the 2 kidneys. They remove liquid

Salmonella Infections What are salmonella infections? Salmonella infection is caused by the bacteria salmonella. Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause diarrhea in humans. There are many different kinds of salmonella bacteria. What causes salmonella infections

Osteoporosis What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that causes weak, thinning bones. This puts the bones at greater risk of breaking. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists. What causes osteoporosis? Researchers don't know the exact cause for

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) What are urinary tract infections? Urinary tract infections or UTIs are infections in any part of the urinary tract. They are a common health problem that affects millions of people each year. Women are especially prone to UTIs. A UTI may affect

HIV AIDS What is HIV/AIDS? The term AIDS refers to the most advanced stages of an infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The current definition of AIDS includes: All HIV-infected people who have fewer than 200 CD4+ T cells (also called T4 cells). These cells

Germ Cell Tumors (GCTs) in Children What are germ cell tumors in children? A type of cell that forms as a fetus (also called unborn baby or embryo) develops is called a germ cell. Germ cells are the cells that make the eggs (ova) in females and the sperm in males. Germ cell