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Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vaccines & Immunizations

Vaccines & Preventable Diseases:

Vaccine-Preventable Childhood Diseases

In our mobile society, over a million people each day people travel to and from other countries, where many vaccine-preventable diseases remain relatively common. Without vaccines, epidemics of many preventable diseases could return, resulting in increased - and unnecessary - illness, disability, and death among children.

Protect Your Child

We have record or near record low levels of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the United States, but that does not mean these have disappeared. Many of the viruses and bacteria are still circulating in this country or are only a plane ride away. That’s why it’s important that children, especially infants and young children, receive recommended immunizations on time.

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Childhood Vaccination Schedule

For your convenience, print the Childhood Vaccination Schedule which indicates the recommended ages for routine administration of the currently licensed childhood vaccines for children through 18 years of age. This schedule has been approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

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Descriptions of Vaccine-preventable Diseases

The following vaccine-preventable diseases, not long ago, disabled and killed millions of American children. Thanks to our country’s high childhood immunization coverage levels, these diseases are now very uncommon. For a print-friendly version of vaccines and the diseases they prevent in adolescents, consult the Child Immunizations, "Vaccines for Adolescents" flyer on the Publications page.

Vaccine-preventable adult diseases:

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Diphtheria

Description
A respiratory disease caused by bacteria

Symptoms
Gradual onset of a sore throat and low-grade fever

Complications
Airway obstruction, coma, and death if not treated

Transmission
Spread by coughing and sneezing

Vaccine
Diphtheria toxoid (contained in DTP, DTaP, DT or Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.

Details
More on diphtheria

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Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Updated May 18

Description
A severe bacterial infection, occurring primarily in infants and children under 5 years

Symptoms
Meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, epiglotittis (a severe throat infection), skin infections, and arthritis

(Can be serious in children under age 1, but there is little risk of getting the disease after age 5)

Complications
Hib meningitis (death in one out of 20 children, and permanent brain damage in 10% - 30% of the survivors)

Transmission
Spread most likely through respiratory droplets (coughing and sneezing)

Vaccine
Hib vaccine can prevent this disease.

As a child, do I need it?
All children under 5 years of age should be vaccinated with the Hib vaccine.

Details
More on Hib

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Hepatitis A

Description
A disease of the liver caused by hepatitis A virus

Symptoms
Potentially none (likelihood of symptoms increases with the person's age)
If present: yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomach ache, loss of appetite, or nausea

Complications
Because young children might not have symptoms, the disease is often not recognized until the child's caregiver becomes ill with hepatitis A.

Transmission
Most often: spread by the fecal-oral route (An object contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A is put into another person's mouth.)

Less often: spread by swallowing food or water that contains the virus

Vaccine
Hepatitis A vaccine will prevent this disease. The vaccine is recommended for all children at age 1 year.

Details
More on hepatitis A

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Hepatitis B

Description
A disease of the liver caused by hepatitis B virus

Symptoms
Potentially none when first infected (likelihood of early symptoms increases with the person's age)

If present: yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomach ache, loss of appetite, nausea, or joint pain

Complications
The younger the person, the greater the likelihood of staying infected and having life-long liver problems, such as scarring of the liver and liver cancer

Transmission
Spread through contact with the blood of an infected person or by having sex with an infected person

Vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccine is will prevent this disease.

Details
More on hepatitis B

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Measles

Description
A respiratory disease caused by a virus

Symptoms
Measles virus causes rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, lasting about a week.

Complications
Diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures, and death

Transmission
Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious)

Vaccine
Measles vaccine (contained in MMR, MR and measles vaccines) can prevent this disease.

Details
Related pages on measles

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Meningococcal Updated June 1

Description
A severe bacterial infection that can cause meningitis, bloodstream infection, and other localized infections. Although the disease is not common in the United States, in those who get it symptoms develop and progress rapidly even leading to death in 24-48 hours.

Symptoms
Meningitis
is characterized by fever, headache, and stiff neck. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and mental status changes.

Meningococcal bacteremia is a bloodstream infection characterized by sudden onset of fever and in severe cases a rash.

Complications
Meningitis can lead to loss of a limb, permanent neurologic impairment, or death.
Meningococcal bacteremia
can result in multiple organ system failure, shock, and death. Other problems can include pneumonia,and less commonly, pericarditis, myocarditis, arthritis, conjunctivitis, urethritis, pharyngitis and cervicitis.

Transmission
Spread by contact with large droplet respiratory secretions (coughing, sneezing, kissing, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation). Close household contacts of persons with meningococcal disease are at greatly increased risk of infection. This disease develops and progresses rapidly.

Vaccine
There are two meningococcal vaccines available in the U.S.:

  • Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4)
  • Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4)

MCV4 is the preferred vaccine for people ages 11-55, but MPSV4 can be used when MCV4 is not available.

Does my infant need it?
The MPSV4 vaccine is recommended for certain high risk infants and children from the ages of 2 through 10. They include children who travel to and United States citizens who reside in countries where meningitis is hyperendemic or epidemic, persons with terminal complements component effecient of and persons with functional or anatomic asplemia.
See also: childhood immunization schedule.

Does my pre-teen or adolescent need it?
Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MCV4) is routinely recommended for all 11 and 12 year olds. If your child did not get this vaccine at age 11 or 12, make an appointment for him or her to get it now. See also: adolescent immunization schedule.

As an adult, do I need it?
See also: Adult immunization schedule
You should get either the MPSV4 vaccine or the MCV4 vaccine if:

  • You are a college freshmen living in a dormitory
  • You are a military recruit
  • You have a damaged spleen or your spleen has been removed
  • You have terminal complement deficiency
  • You are a microbiologist who is routinely exposed to Neisseria meningitidis (the causal pathogen)
  • You are traveling or residing in countries in which the disease is common.

Details
Related pages on meningococcal

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Mumps

Description
An acute viral illness caused by the mumps virus

Symptoms
Fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite; followed by swelling of salivary glands. The parotid salivary glands (which are located within your cheek, near your jaw link, below your ears) are most frequently affected.

Complications
Meningitis, inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, inflammation of the pancreas and deafness (usually permanent)

Transmission
Spread by contact with an infected person, through coughing and sneezing

Vaccine
Mumps vaccine (contained in MMR) can prevent this disease.

Details
Related pages on mumps

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Pertussis (whooping cough) Updated June 1

Description
A respiratory disease caused by bacteria

Symptoms
Severe spasms of coughing that can interfere with eating, drinking, and breathing

Complications
Pneumonia, encephalitis (due to lack of oxygen), and death, especially in infants.

Transmission
Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious).

Vaccine
Pertussis vaccine (contained in DTP, and DTaP) can prevent this disease.

Does my infant need this vaccine?

See also: childhood immunization schedule.

Does my pre-teen or adolescent need it?

The preferred age for routine vaccination with Tdap is 11 or 12 years old. Adolescents aged 11 through 18 should receive a single dose of Tdap instead of Td for booster immunization against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis if they have completed the recommended childhood DTP/DTaP vaccination series. See also: adolescent immunization schedule.

As an adult, do I need it?
See also: adult immunization schedule

  • If you are 19 through 64 years old and have not previously received a dose of Tdap, a single dose of Tdap should replace a single dose of Td for booster immunization if the most recent tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine was received at least 10 years earlier.
  • Adults in close contact with an infant aged under 12 months who have not previously received Tdap should receive a dose of Tdap; an interval as short as 2 years since the most recent Td is suggested.
  • Healthcare personnel in hospitals and ambulatory care settings with direct patient contact who have not previously received Tdap should receive a dose of Tdap; an interval as short as 2 years since the most recent Td is recommended.

Details
More on pertussis

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Pneumococcal disease

Description
A type of bacteria

Symptoms
Pneumococcal pneumonia (begins with high fever, cough, and stabbing chest pains), bacteremia, and meningitis

Complications
Death (one of the most common causes of death in America from a vaccine-preventable disease)

Transmission
Pneumococcus is in many people's noses and throats. Why it suddenly invades the body and causes disease is unknown.

Vaccine
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV especially developed for infants and children under age 2) and Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV not effective for children under 2 years--only for adults) can prevent this disease.

Details
Related pages on pneumococcal

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Polio

Description
A viral disease of the nervous system

Symptoms
Fever, sore throat, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, and stiffness in the neck, back, and legs

Complications
Paralysis that can lead to permanent disability and death

Transmission
Contact with an infected person

Vaccine
Polio vaccine (IPV) can prevent this disease.

Details
More on polio

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Rotavirus (severe diarrhea)

Description
A virus that is the most common cause of severe childhood gastroenteritis worldwide

Symptoms
Diarrhea, vomiting, fever

Complications
Severe diarrhea, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, death

Transmission
Usually fecal-oral (an object contaminated with the stool of a person with rotavirus is put into another person's mouth). Possible respiratory transmission.

Vaccine
Oral rotavirus vaccine can prevent about 75% of rotavirus gastroenteritis, and almost all severe rotavirus gastroenteritis.

Details
More on rotavirus

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Rubella (German measles)

Description
A respiratory disease caused by a virus

Symptoms
Rash and fever for two to three days (mild disease in children and young adults)

Complications
Birth defects if acquired by a pregnant woman: deafness, cataracts, heart defects, mental retardation, and liver and spleen damage (at least a 20% chance of damage to the fetus if a woman is infected early in pregnancy)

Transmission
Spread by coughing and sneezing

Vaccine
Rubella vaccine (contained in MMR vaccine) can prevent this disease.

Details
Related pages on rubella

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Tetanus (lockjaw)

Description
A disease of the nervous system caused by bacteria.

Symptoms
Early symptoms: lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing

Later symptoms: fever, elevated blood pressure, and severe muscle spasms

Complications
Death in about one third of the cases, especially people over age 50

Transmission
Enters the body through a break in the skin

Vaccine
Tetanus toxoid (contained in DTP, DT, DTaP, and Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.

Details
Related pages on tetanus

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Varicella (chickenpox)

Description
A virus of the herpes family

Symptoms
A skin rash of blister-like lesions, usually on the face, scalp, or trunk

Complications
Bacterial infection of the skin, swelling of the brain, and pneumonia (usually more severe in children 13 or older and adults)

Transmission
Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious)

Vaccine
Varicella vaccine can prevent this disease.

Details
Related pages on varicella

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This page last modified on June 1, 2007
Content last reviewed on January 5, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

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Vaccines and Immunizations