Influenza, or the respiratory flu, is an acute viral infection that spreads easily from person to person. The viral disease is a serious public health problem that causes severe illnesses and deaths for higher risk populations but that circulates worldwide and can affect anybody in any age group. Symptoms of the flu include fever, chills, […] More
“Better sanitation, not vaccines, eradicated disease” is a favorite, although enormously erroneous, argument against vaccination used by the anti-vaccine community. As with most anti-vax explanations, the argument is glaringly wrong. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox eradicated following a global immunization campaign that ultimately began after Edward Jenner introduced the first successful smallpox vaccine […] More
Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, infection caused by the bacteria Clostridium tetani. Tetanus bacteria are found in soil, dust, and manure and enter the human body through broken skin, usually through injuries from contaminated objects. The bacteria produce and disseminate toxins via blood and lymphatics. The toxins act at several sites within the central […] More
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a group of more than 150 related viruses, forty of which that can infect the genital areas of male and female humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the very common virus currently infects nearly 80 million individuals, or one in four, in the United States. […] More
Pregnant women can and should receive the influenza and Tdap vaccines to protect both mother and baby from the respiratory flu and whooping cough. A new six-year study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology confirms the safety of both vaccines during pregnancy and reveals that pregnancy women can receive both at the same time […] More
Adding to the overwhelming evidence that vaccines and autism are unrelated, a new study published in the child health-themed issue of the journal JAMA concludes that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is not associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) even among children at high risk for the disorder, notably children with siblings with […] More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends fourteen vaccines for children between birth and age 6, with different vaccines recommended at specific ages in order to boost the effectiveness of the vaccination. However, despite concerns about increased susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases, most health care providers succumb to parental pressure for delayed vaccination […] More
Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in Jupiter, Florida have announced the creation of a novel drug candidate against HIV so potent and effective that the discovery could work as part of an unconventional vaccine for HIV. HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a serious health condition in humans […] More
As the United States and California in particular grapple with the current measles outbreak, California public health officials are urging measles vaccination for adults and children before families travel internationally over spring school break. As health officials search for the origin of the measles outbreak that began at Disneyland at the end of December, detective […] More
The H7N9 avian flu emerged in China in 2013 and sparked fears of a global pandemic. But a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation finds that individuals who receive seasonal flu vaccinations also develop antibodies that protect against the H7N9 bird flu. Avian influenza A (H7N9) poses an especially strong danger for […] More
One in four adults agree with not vaccinating for personal or religious reasons, finds an informal survey conducted by WebMD. Only two states in the United States, Mississippi and West Virginia, bar unvaccinated children from attending public schools without a significant medical reason. Neither state allows personal belief or religious exemptions. Mississippi has the highest […] More
From whom do people most trust information regarding vaccines? Health campaigns run by governmental organizations or online commentary from peers? Two recent experiments published in the Journal of Advertising suggest that online comments influence opinions on vaccination more than official announcements. For the study investigating from where both pro-vaccination and anti-vaccination individuals obtain information about […] More
