Before smallpox was eradicated, it was a serious infectious disease caused by the variola virus. It was contagious which means, it spread...

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria. People can get the disease when they are in contact with infected animals or...

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It weakens a person’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and...

Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. More than 16 million Americans are living with a...

What are e-cigarettes? E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid....

Classic CJD is a human prion disease. It is a neurodegenerative disorder with characteristic clinical and diagnostic features. This...

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. It has been found in some areas...

What is an antibiotic? Antibiotics are medicines that fight infections caused by bacteria in humans and animals by either killing the...

C. diff (also known as Clostridioides difficile or C. difficile) is a germ (bacterium) that causes diarrhea and colitis (an inflammation...

Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most...

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus. Norovirus is...

Time in the hospital can put you at risk for a healthcare-associated infection (HAI), such as a blood, surgical site, or urinary tract...

People who are sexually active can get genital herpes, a common sexually transmitted disease (STD). How is genital herpes spread? You can...

The average national indoor radon level is 1.3 pCi/L. (FAQ: What is a picocurie?) The average indoor radon levels...

The average national indoor radon level is 1.3 pCi/L. (FAQ: What is a picocurie?) The average indoor radon levels of Berkeley...

Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make toxin. It can lead to...

Q fever is a disease in people and animals caused by the germ (bacteria) Coxiella burnetii. In animals, the disease is also known as...

Plague is a disease that affects humans and other mammals. It is caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Humans usually get plague...

In West Virginia, outbreaks are immediately reportable to the Local Health Departments (LHDs), regardless of setting, as per West...

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans, it can...