Click on any of the links below to learn about a particular disease. All our information is created by clinical professionals and we use the latest information from GOV.UK, NaTHNaC, WHO, Patient.info and NHS.
Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Chickenpox causes itchy spots (a rash) and can make a child feel generally unwell.
Cholera is a bacterial disease usually linked to poverty and poor sanitation/ access to clean drinking water. The key symptom is watery diarrhoea.
The COVID-19 coronavirus is a newly discovered disease. It comes from the Coronavirus family and it mainly affects the lungs and airways. Like other coronaviruses, it has transferred to humans from animals.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection which can cause death. It is spread by coughing and sneezing as well as being in close contact with infected people. Contaminated clothes and bedding are also a source for transmission.
Flu (influenza) is a viral infection of the respiratory tract that is very contagious. This is spread through airborne respiratory droplets. Outbreaks tend to be mainly during the winter months of the northern and southern hemispheres.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver. It is contracted through contact with contaminated food and water. It can also be caught through direct contact with a person who is infected.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver. It can be caught by contact with body fluids, such as blood of an infected person.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common cause of infection but usually causes no symptoms. Infection with some types of HPV can cause cancer of the neck of the womb (cervix).
Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection that affects the brain. An infected mosquito transmits it through its bite. Commonly seen in areas of rice cultivation and pig farming such as the Asian continent.
Malaria is a parasitic infection contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Visitors to regions high in malaria are at risk.
Measles is a highly infectious illness caused by a virus. The virus lives in the lining of the nose and throat. Physical contact, coughing and sneezing can spread the infection.
Meningitis B disease is a serious illness caused by group B strains of meningococcal bacteria. These bacteria are a major cause of meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and septicaemia (blood poisoning) in young children and teenagers.
Meningococcal disease is transmitted through the respiratory route via airborne droplets, and it can lead to a destructive bacterial infection.
Mumps is an infection caused by a type of virus called a paramyxovirus. It is very contagious and spread through respiratory droplets via coughing and sneezing.
Pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia. It can also lead to sepsis as well as meningitis.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a viral infection that only occurs in humans. It can cause paralysis. The disease can be contracted mainly through person to person contact as well as through food or water contaminated by infected human faeces.
Rabies occurs in warm-blooded mammals (both domestic and wild) and is spread to humans mostly through a bite or scratch from an infected animal, usually a dog.
Rubella (German measles) is a disease caused by the rubella virus, contracted through direct contact with an infected person or airborne respiratory droplets. Rubella can cause serious complications for pregnant women and their unborn baby.
Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin around it. It is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus. Shingles is a painful, blistery rash in one specific area of your body.
Tetanus is a bacterial disease. Tetanus spores are found in the soil. The disease is contracted when a wound is contaminated by soil containing the spores. It can cause damage to the spinal cord and the brain.
This form of encephalitis is a viral infection contracted through the bite of an infected tick. It tends to affect the central nervous system and it can lead to life threatening complications.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by a type of bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the abdomen glands, bones and nervous system.
Typhoid is a bacterial infection contracted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Vaccination is recommended for travellers to high risk countries.
Yellow fever is a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes. The virus can cause an illness that results in jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) and bleeding, with severe damage to the major organs which can lead to death.