A list of common diseases, their causes and symptoms and the vaccines that can prevent them
Polio
Serious cases cause paralysis and death.
Mild cases cause fever, sore throat, nausea, headaches and stomach aches; may also cause neck and back pain or stiffness.
Polio vaccine can prevent this disease.
Diphtheria
Respiratory disease spread by coughing and sneezing.
Gradual onset of sore throat and low-grade fever.
Heart failure or paralysis can result if disease is not treated.
Diphtheria toxoid (contained in DT, DTaP and Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.
Tetanus
Neurological disease also known as lockjaw.
Bacteria enters the BODY through a break in the skin.
Produces a poison (toxin) that attacks the nervous system.
Early symptoms are headache, irritability, and stiffness in the jaw and neck.
Later, causes severe muscle spasms in the jaw, neck, arms, legs, back, and abdomen.
May require intensive care in hospital.
Tetanus toxoid (contained in DTP, DT, DTaP and Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.
Pertussis
Highly contagious respiratory disease also known as whooping cough.
Causes severe spasms of coughing that can interfere with eating, drinking, and breathing.
Complications include pneumonia, convulsions and encephalitis.
Pertussis vaccine (contained in DTP and DTaP) can prevent this disease.
Measles
Highly contagious respiratory disease.
Causes rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, lasting about a week.
Causes ear infections and pneumonia in one out of every 12 children who get it.
Causes encephalitis that can lead to convulsions, deafness or mental retardation. Measles vaccine (contained in MMR, MR and measles vaccines) can prevent this disease.
Mumps
Causes fever, headache and swelling of one or both cheeks or sides of the jaw.
Four to six persons out of 100 who get mumps will get meningitis.
Inflammation of the testicles occurs in about four of every ten adult males who get mumps.
May result in hearing loss, which is usually permanent.
Mumps vaccine (contained in MMR) can prevent this disease
Rubella
Also known as German measles.
Mild disease in children and young adults, causing rash and fever for two to three days.
Causes devastating birth defects if acquired by a pregnant woman; there is at least 20% chance of damage to the foetus if a woman is infected early in pregnancy.
Rubella vaccine (contained in MMR vaccine) can prevent this disease.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Causes meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, arthritis, and skin and throat infections.
More serious in children under age one; after age five, there is little risk of getting the disease.
Hib vaccine can prevent this disease
Varicella
Also known as chickenpox.
Varicella-zoster is a virus of the herpes family.
Highly contagious, it causes a skin rash of a few or hundreds of blister-like lesions, usually on the face, scalp, or trunk.
Usually more severe in older children (13 or older) and adults.
Complications include bacterial infection of the skin, swelling of the brain and pneumonia.
Often leads to quarantine, causing children to miss school and parents to miss work.
Varicella vaccine can prevent this disease.
Hepatitis B
Can destroy the liver (cirrhosis).
Leads to liver cancer.
Causes pain in muscles, joints or stomach.
Hepatitis B vaccine can prevent this disease.
