8 Diseases Prevented by Childhood Vaccines

DIPTHERIA
You can get it from contact with an infected person. Signs and symptoms include a thick covering in the back of the throat that can make it hard to breathe.  It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure and death.

TETANUS
You can get it from a cut or wound.  It does not spread from person to person.  Signs and symptoms include painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body.  It can lead to stiffness of the jaw, so the victim can't open his mouth or swallow.  it leads to death in about 1 out of 5.

PERTUSSIS
You can get if from contact with an infected person.  Signs and symptoms include violent coughing spells that can make it hard for an infant to eat, drink, or breathe.  These spells can last for weeks.  It can lead to pneumonia, brain damage and death.

HIB
You can get it from contact with an infected person.  There may be no signs or symptoms in mild cases.  It can lead to meningitis, pneumonia, infections of the blood, joints, bones, and covering of the heart; brain damage; deafness; and death.

HEPATITIS B
You can get it from contact with blood or body fluid of an infected person.  Babies can get it at birth if the mother is infected, or through a cut or wound.  Adults can get it from unprotected sex, sharing needles, or other exposure to blood.  Signs and symptoms include tiredness, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, and pain in muscles, joints and stomach.  It can lead to liver damage, liver cancer and death.

POLIO
You can get it from close contact with an infected person.  It enters the body through the mouth.  Signs and symptoms can include a cold-like illness, or there may be no signs or symptoms at all.  It can lead to paralysis, or death.

PNEUMOCOCCAL
You can get it from contact with an infected person.  Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, cough, and chest pain.  It can lead to meningitis, blood infections, ear infections, pneumonia, deafness, brain damage, and death.

ROTAVIRUS
You can get it from contact with other children who are infected.  Signs and symptoms include severe diarrhea, vomiting and fever.  It can lead to dehydration, hospitalization (70,000 per year) and death.

Other Diseases

INFLUENZA
You can get it from contact with other people by coughing, sneezing or nasal secretions.  Signs and symptoms include chills, fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue.  It can lead to pneumonia and can be dangerous for people with heart or breathing issues.

CHICKENPOX
You can get it from contact by air, or by contact with fluid from chickenpox blisters.  It causes rash, itching, fever, tiredness. It can lead to severe skin infection, scars, pneumonia, brain damage or death.

MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA
You can get it by person by air.  It causes rash, cough, runny nose and fever.  It can lead to ear infection, pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and death. 

HEPATITIS A
You can get it by close personal contact and sometimes by eating food or drinking water containing HAV.  It causes flu-like illness, jaundice, stomach pains and diarrhea.  It can lead to hospitalization or death.

MENINGOCOCCAL
You can get it by a bacteria. It causes an infection of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.  It can lead to seizures, strokes, mental retardation or death.

TETANUS, DIPHTHERIA, PERTUSSIS
You can get it from another person and enters the body through cuts or wounds.  It causes lockjaw, breathing problems, and coughing spells. It can lead to paralysis, brain damage, heart failure and death.

HPV
You can get it from sexual contact.  It causes general warts and warts in the upper respiratory tract.  It can lead to cervical cancer and death.