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Department of Human Services

Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Select a link below for more information about these specific diseases, including factsheets and statistics for Oregon.
  • Diphtheria - affects the throat and nose, making it hard to breathe. Severe cases can cause nerve problems, inflammation of the heart muscle, and even death.

  • Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) - causes brain swelling that can result in permanent damage or death. It can cause infections of the blood, joints, throat or heart.

  • Hepatitis A - is a liver disease. It can cause fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, and yellowing of the skin and eyes.

  • Hepatitis B (HBV) - may lead to serious infection and disease of the liver, including cancer.

  • Influenza - There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C. Of these, types A and B cause epidemics, while type A is more severe in terms of illness and associated deaths. Vaccination is the only universal cost-effective method of preventing infection from cocirculating type A and B strains.

  • Measles - causes a rash and high fever. It can also cause deafness, brain damage or death.

  • Meningococcal - causes meningitis, an infection that can lead to dangerous swelling of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

  • Mumps - can cause swelling of the neck glands, nerve damage and deafness.

  • Pertussis (Whooping Cough) - causes dangerous coughing spells that make it very hard to breathe. It can cause pneumonia, convulsions or brain swelling.

  • Polio - causes paralysis of the muscles. Most people never completely recover.

  • Pneumococcal - is one of the leading causes of ear infections, meningitis, pneumonia, sinus and blood infections among children. Severe cases can lead to death.

  • Rubella - is usually a mild illness for children; however, a pregnant woman who gets it may lose her baby, or her baby may be born deaf or with other problems.

  • Tetanus (Lockjaw) - causes painful muscle spasms. It kills almost half of its victims.

  • Varicella (Chickenpox) - is usually a mild disease in healthy children. In severe cases it can cause infection leading to death. Varicella disease can cause more complications and severe infection as children enter adolescence and adulthood.

More Information

Vaccine Information Statements
Specific information on vaccines designed for distribution by health care providers to their patients.
 
Page updated: February 07, 2008

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