Chickenpox (Varicella)
Chickenpox is caused by the highly contagious varicella zoster virus. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, and by direct contact with skin lesions (chickenpox rash that looks different from the skin around it).
Chikungunya
Chikungunya is an infection caused by a virus that spreads to people from the bite of an infected mosquito. It can cause severe joint and muscle pain
Coronaviruses (COVID-19)
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as COVID-19, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Dengue
Dengue viruses are spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Although symptoms can be mild, severe dengue can be life-threatening within a few hours.
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an acute bacterial disease that usually affects the tonsils, throat, nose, and/or skin.
Ebola
Ebola is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with a virus that can cause illness in humans and other primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).
Flu (Influenza)
Flu is a contagious disease caused by an influenza virus. It can make people very sick, even if they are otherwise healthy.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The most common types of viral hepatitis in the US are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
Hib Disease
Hib disease is a serious illness that can cause meningitis, pneumonia, and other serious infections. Infants and children younger than age 5 years are most at risk.
HIV/AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US that can cause certain cancers and genital warts.
Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a potentially severe disease caused by a virus spread by infected mosquitos in Asia and the western Pacific.
Measles
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can result in severe, sometimes permanent, complications including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death.
Meningococcal Disease
Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection that most often leads to severe swelling of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or infection of the bloodstream.
Mpox
Mpox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with mpox virus. It is spread through contact with the virus from an animal, human, or materials contaminated with the virus.
Mumps
Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus that spreads easily through coughing and sneezing.
Norovirus
Noroviruses are a group of related viruses that are highly contagious. Commonly referred to as “food poisoning” or a “stomach bug,” noroviruses are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the US.
Pneumococcal Disease
Pneumococcal disease is caused by common bacteria that can attack different parts of the body and is a leading cause of serious illness in people of all ages.
Polio
Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and is spread through contact with the stool (feces) of an infected person or droplets from a sneeze or cough.
Rabies
Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages and can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.
Rotavirus
Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that infects nearly all young children and is one of the most common and serious causes of severe diarrhea in the US.
Rubella
Rubella, sometimes called “German measles,” is caused by a virus and can cause serious birth defects.
Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus stays inactive in the body for life and can reactivate years, or even decades later, causing shingles.
Tetanus
Tetanus, sometimes called lockjaw, is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. It is contracted through cuts or wounds that become contaminated with tetanus bacteria.
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a serious infection that spreads easily from person to person. The infection causes coughing spells that are so severe that it can be hard to breathe, eat, or sleep.
Zika
Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. Zika can be transmitted by pregnant women to developing babies, and infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other serious birth defects.