Patient Education

Rotavirus commonly causes severe, watery diarrhea, mostly in babies and young children. Vomiting and fever are also common in babies with rotavirus.

Polio (or poliomyelitis) is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by poliovirus, which can infect a person’s spinal cord, leading to paralysis. Polio vaccine can prevent polio.

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella are viral diseases that can have serious consequences. Before vaccines, these diseases were very common in the United States, especially among children. They are still common in many parts of the world.

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness. It is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2 through 18 years old in the United States. Meningitis is an infection of the covering of the brain and the spinal cord.

With any medicine, including vaccines, there is a chance of reactions. These are usually mild and go away on their own, but serious reactions are also possible.

Influenza (“flu”) is a contagious disease that spreads around the United States every year, usually between October and May.