Diseases & Conditions - FAQs:

The nasal spray vaccine is made from weakened live virus and does not cause influenza. The vaccine can cause mild symptoms in people who get it (see below).

Mild problems:
Some children and adolescents 2-17 years of age have reported mild reactions, including:

• runny nose, nasal congestion or cough
• headache and muscle aches
• fever
• wheezing
• abdominal pain or occasional vomiting or diarrhea

Some adults 18-49 years of age have reported:

• runny nose or nasal congestion
• sore throat
• cough, chills, tiredness/weakness
• headache

Severe problems:

• Life-threatening allergic reactions from vaccines are very rare. If they do occur, it is usually within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot.
• If rare reactions occur with any product, they may not be identified until thousands, or millions, of people have used it. Millions of doses of the flu spray have been distributed since it was licensed, and no serious problems have been identified. Like all vaccines, the flu spray will continue to be monitored for unusual or severe problems.

The 12^th Report on Carcinogens was released on June 10, 2011. (Press Release)

The Report on Carcinogens (RoC) is a congressionally mandated, science-based, public health document that is prepared for the HHS Secretary by the National Toxicology Program.

The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, and exposure circumstances that are known or reasonably anticipated to cause cancer in humans.

It can be found at: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc12

Should the climate change temperatures, sea level, and precipitation, then the potential for impacts on human health exists. Among the changes with possible effects on humans are:

• heat related illnesses
• storms and flooding injuries
• spread of infectious diseases
• increased air pollutants causing respiratory diseases
• decreased food supply and malnutrition

Learn More from the NIH National Library of Medicine:

• Air Pollution and Indoor Air Pollution
• Drinking Water and Water Pollution
• Electromagnetic Fields
• Hazardous Waste
• Molds
• Noise
• Occupational Health
• Pesticides
• Radiation Exposure
• Poisoning, Toxicology, Environmental Health

Proportional to body weight, children eat, breathe, and drink more than adults. So they take in higher concentrations of the toxins in our environment. As children's bodies develop, especially in the womb and newborns, they are vulnerable to damage from toxic substances.

For example, a small amount of certain pesticides during a critical time in a child's development could impact brain and body function, causing ADHD, reproductive health problems, as well as other problems. Some toxins, like mercury, can build up in body fat and be passed from mother to child during pregnancy or after birth through breast milk.

Learn More:

• Air Pollution and Lung Development in Children (NIH/NIEHS)
• Environment and the Developing Brain (NIH/NIEHS) (PDF - 2 pages)
• Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Centers (NIH/NIEHS)
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CDC)
• Mother's Exposure to Urban Pollutants Affects Children's Cognitive Abilities (NIH/NIEHS)
• Phthalate Exposure Alters Children's Behavior and Cognitive Function (NIH/NIEHS)

Information from Other Federal Agencies:

• Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (US Department of Housing & Urban Development)
• Protecting Our Children (US Environmental Protection Agency)
• America's Children & the Environment (US Environmental Protection Agency)

Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) who have weakened immune systems. These healthcare-associated staph infections include surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.
 

Learn More:

• People at Risk of Acquiring MRSA Infections (CDC)
• MRSA (MedlinePlus)

Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood, organic, and man-made matter burn. The biggest health threat from smoke comes from fine particles. These microscopic particles can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where they can cause health problems. Smoke can irritate the eyes and airways, causing coughing, a scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, headaches, stinging eyes or a runny nose.

If you have heart or lung disease, smoke might make your symptoms worse. People with heart disease might experience:

• chest pain,
• palpitations,
• shortness of breath, or
• fatigue.

People with lung disease may not be able to breathe as deeply or as vigorously as usual, and they may experience symptoms such as:

• coughing,
• phlegm,
• chest discomfort,
• wheezing, and
• shortness of breath.

Children also are more susceptible to smoke for several reasons: their respiratory systems are still developing; they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults; and they're more likely to be active outdoors.

When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Common health effects, such as minor irritation, may not require a visit to your doctor. But, you should seek medical attention immediately if you experience more serious symptoms like those listed above.

Learn More:

• How Smoke from Fires Can Affect Your Health (EPA)
• CDC Fact Sheet: Wildfires, Health Threat From Wildfire Smoke

Several HHS agencies provide vital information, research, and health-related services regarding tuberculosis:

• CDC's Division of Tuberculosis Elimination provides education and training information; professional articles, and resources for health care professionals. CDC also provides information on:
  • Tuberculosis in Healthcare Settings

• NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provides TB-related research, including, resources for researchers. contact information about public and private groups working on TB education, and research reports. Information is also available about Tuberculosis Prevention and TB Vaccine.

• The National Library of Medicine provides a compilation of links from public and private agencies regarding TB basics and research information. Additionally, you can find historical information about the fight against TB at the Visual Culture and Public Health Posters site.

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides occupationally-related publications on tuberculosis for health care workers who represent 3 percent of all TB cases.

• The National Prevention Information Network provides materials focusing on the prevention of tuberculosis.

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provide information regarding the Optional Medicaid Benefit for Tuberculosis (TB)-Related Services.

Vaccines are usually given to prevent infections. Influenza vaccines are made from either pieces of the killed influenza virus or weakened versions of the live virus that will not lead to disease. When vaccinated, the body’s immune system makes antibodies which will fight off infection if exposure to the virus occurs.

Antivirals are drugs that can treat people who have already been infected by a virus.  They also can be used to prevent infection when given before or shortly after exposure and before illness occurs.  A key difference between a vaccine and antiviral drug is that the antiviral drug will prevent infection only when administered within a certain time frame before or after exposure and is effective during the time that the drug is being taken while a vaccine can be given long before exposure to the virus and can provide protection over a long period of time.
 

There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Flu spreads mainly person-to-person through the coughing or sneezing of infected people. If you get sick, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

• Be sure to continue taking your diabetes pills or insulin. Don’t stop taking them even if you can’t eat. Your health care provider may even advise you to take more insulin during sickness.
   
• Test your blood glucose every four hours, and keep track of the results.
   
• Drink extra (calorie-free) liquids, and try to eat as you normally would. If you can’t, try to have soft foods and liquids containing the equivalent amount of carbohydrates that you usually consume.
   
• Weigh yourself every day. Losing weight without trying is a sign of high blood glucose.
   
• Check your temperature every morning and evening. A fever may be a sign of infection.

Call your health care provider or go to an emergency room if any of the following happen to you:

• You feel too sick to eat normally and are unable to keep down food for more than 6 hours.
• You're having severe diarrhea.
• You lose 5 pounds or more.
• Your temperature is over 101 degrees F.
• Your blood glucose is lower than 60 mg/dL or remains over 300 mg/dL.
• You have moderate or large amounts of ketones in your urine.
• You're having trouble breathing.
• You feel sleepy or can't think clearly.

For more information, see:

• Diabetes and the Flu
• Taking Care of Your Diabetes at Special Times: When You Are Sick from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse fact sheet, Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

The pneumonia bacteria are spread through contact between persons who are ill or who carry the bacteria in their throat. Transmission is mostly through the spread of respiratory droplets from the nose or mouth of a person with a pneumococcal infection. It is common for people, especially children, to carry the bacteria in their throats without being ill from it.

There are four types of symptoms for pneumococcal disease.

Meningitis:
High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly.

Pneumonia: 
In adults, pneumococcal pneumonia is often characterized by sudden onset of illness with symptoms including shaking chills, fever, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, pain in the chest that is worsened by breathing deeply, and a productive cough. In infants and young children, signs and symptoms may not be specific, and may include fever, cough, rapid breathing or grunting. 

Otitis media: 
Children who have otitis media (middle ear infection) typically have a painful ear, and the eardrum is often red and swollen. Other symptoms that may accompany otitis media include sleeplessness, fever and irritability. 

Blood stream infections: 
Infants and young children with blood stream infections-also known as bacteremia-typically have non-specific symptoms including fevers and irritability.

Approximately 70 million people who should be receiving the pneumonia vaccine are not yet vaccinated (National Health Interview Survey, 2007).

The pneumonia vaccine is recommended for:

• People who are 65 years of age and older
• People 2 years of age and older who have a chronic illness such as:
  • cardiovascular or lung disease
  • sickle cell disease
  • diabetes
  • alcoholism
  • chronic liver disease
  • cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak
  • a cochlear implant
• People 2 years of age and older with a weakened immune system
  • Due to illnesses such as:
    • HIV infection
    • AIDS
    • chronic renal failure
    • nephrotic syndrome
    • organ or bone marrow transplantation
    • Hodgkin’s disease
    • leukemia
    • lymphoma
    • multiple myeloma
    • generalized malignancy
  • Those receiving immunosuppressive therapy (e.g., steroids)
  • Those who have had their spleen removed or whose spleen is dysfunctional due to an illness such as sickle cell disease.
  • Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities
• People 19 through 64 years of age who smoke cigarettes or have asthma.

Federally-funded health centers care for you, even if you have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income. Health centers provide

1. checkups when you're well
2. treatment when you're sick
3. complete care when you're pregnant
4. immunizations and checkups for your children
5. dental care and prescription drugs for your family
6. mental health and substance abuse care if you need it

Health centers are in most cities and many rural areas. To search for the Health Center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

Your health care provider will assess your risk of disease based on your family history and other risk factors. Your health care provider may also recommend things you can do to help prevent disease, such as exercising more, changing your diet, or using screening tests to detect disease early.

Learn More:

• Family History (MedlinePlus)

Flu.gov is the official U.S. government Web site for information on the Flu. Several types of flu can exist at once, including, seasonal, pandemic, H1N1, avian, H5N1, and swine flu. This site provides information from across Federal and State governments.

The Surgeon General's Family Health History Initiative provides 'My Family Health Portrait' as a Web-based tool or a printable chart at https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action. The tool works by guiding you through steps on how to collect and enter family history information and results in a printed family health portrait similar in format to a genetic family tree.

The Web tool is available in both English and Spanish. Printable versions of the tool are available in several other languages.

There is some potential for developing dental fluorosis when young children consume fluoride during the time when teeth are forming under the gums (birth through age 8). To help prevent both tooth decay and dental fluorosis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following:

For parents: Children younger than 6 years have a poor swallowing reflex and tend to swallow much of the toothpaste on their brush. Toothpaste that is swallowed (but not toothpaste that is spit out) contributes to a child’s total fluoride intake. Therefore:
As soon as the first tooth appears, begin cleaning by brushing without toothpaste with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and plain water after each feeding. Begin using toothpaste with fluoride when the child is 2 years old. Use toothpaste with fluoride earlier if your child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.

• Do not brush your child’s teeth more than 2 times a day with a fluoride toothpaste,
• Apply no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to the toothbrush, and
• Supervise your child’s tooth brushing, encouraging the child to spit out toothpaste rather than swallow it. Additional information is available on-line:  http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/factsheets/brushup.htm
• If your child’s pediatrician or dentist prescribes a fluoride supplement (or vitamin supplement that contains fluoride), ask him or her about any risk factors your child has for decay and the potential for dental fluorosis. If you live in an area with fluoridated water, fluoride supplements are not recommended.
• You can use fluoridated water for preparing infant formula. However, if your baby is exclusively consuming infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water, there is an increased potential for mild dental fluorosis. Additional information can be found in a CDC fact sheet on infant formula:  http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/safety/infant_formula.htm

Learn more about:

• Community Water Fluoridation Safety (CDC)
• Basic Information about Fluoride in Drinking Water (EPA)

Talk with your dentist about the best use of fluoride to prevent tooth decay. In adults in the U.S., there is little concern about unwanted health effects even from the combined level of fluoride from all sources. Fluoride toothpaste is effective for preventing tooth decay and does not contribute to fluorosis unless it is swallowed.

Fluoride toothpaste is effective for preventing tooth decay and does not contribute to fluorosis unless it is swallowed.

Water fluoridation is beneficial for reducing and controlling tooth decay and promoting oral health in children and adults. You can check with your local water supplier to see how much fluoride is in your drinking water.  Consumers served by private wells may want to have their water tested by a state certified laboratory. You can find one by contacting your state water certification officer. Contact information for your state can be found at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/drinkingwater/labcert/

Learn more about:

• Preventing excessive fluoride exposure in children.
• Community Water Fluoridation Safety (CDC)
• Basic Information about Fluoride in Drinking Water (EPA)

Both healthfinder and MedlinePlus offer information about government agencies and nonprofit organizations which advocate for persons with disabilities.

The Administration on Developmental Disabilities funds state-level protection and advocacy programs:

The Department of Education offers two programs:

• The Client Assistance Program
• The Protection and Advocacy of Individuals Rights Program

There are also many local advocates and advocacy agencies nationwide.

The main categories of disabilities are: intellectual, physical, emotional, and learning.

Learn More:

• Intellectual Disability (CDC)
• Physical Disabilities Branch (NIH) Clinical Movement Analysis
• Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (SurgeonGeneral.gov)
• Learning Disabilities Health News (healthfinder)

Even if you do not have a history of a disease in your family, you may still be at risk for that disease. This is because:

• Your lifestyle, personal health history, and other factors influence your chances of getting a disease.
• Your family could have a history of disease that you don't know about.
• You could have family members who died young, before they developed heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or other diseases.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal law guaranteeing equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications. You can find information about ADA at the Department of Justice website.

Information about disability-related laws and regulations are available at: http://www.disabilityinfo.gov