Health Risks/Threats
Meningococcal Meningitis
Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection. The disease is expressed as either meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or meningococcemia, the presence of bacteria in the blood. For more information...
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a contagious disease involving the respiratory tract. It is caused by a bacterium that is found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person. In New York State, the number of pertussis cases each year varies from an average of 300 cases to over 1,000 cases per year. Although most of the reported cases occur in children under five years, the number of cases in adolescents and adults is increasing. For more information...
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness, most likely an atypical pneumonia, that was first reported in parts of Asia. Health officials suspect it is caused by a virus, but the exact type of pathogen is not known. Serious SARS cases have now been reported in China; Hong Kong; Indonesia; Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; Mongolia; Hanoi, Vietnam; Toronto, Canada. For more information...
STD's
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's) are something you should know about. You should know the facts and you should take actions to protect your health. A sexually transmitted disease is any disease that can be transmitted by sexual contact (including vaginal and anal intercourse and oral-genital contact) with an infected partner who may or may not have symptoms. For more information...
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that can damage a person's lungs or other parts of the body and can cause serious illness. People of all ages, all nationalities, and all incomes can get TB. In almost all instances, with modern medicine tuberculosis can be cured. For more information...