Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are illnesses you can develop when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other organisms enter your body. You may acquire an infectious disease from people, insects, animals, or contaminated food. There are many infectious diseases, and they can range in severity. Find out how to protect yourself from infectious diseases and what to do if you get one.

Types of Infectious Diseases

person washing hands to prevent getting a bacterial infection
Everything You Need to Know About Bacterial Infections

Explore Infectious Diseases

View of someone washing their hands at the kitchen sink
6 Kitchen Mistakes That Could Put You at Risk of an E. Coli Infection
Close up view of a belly button piercing that looks slightly infected or irritated
Can a Belly Button Infection Be Life-Threatening? 7 Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore
tick on a leaf
12 Spots on the Body Where You’re Most Likely to Find a Tick
A person seated on the floor holding their foot, wearing athletic wear, indoors near a window
The Four Types of Toenail Fungus (Onychomycosis)
dentist checking patient's mouth for Ludwig angina
What To Know About Ludwig Angina
man putting food in bird feeder
Is Your Bird Feeder Putting You at Risk for Bird Flu?
man coughing
Real Talk: Is It Better to Spit Out Mucus When You’re Sick?
Doctor showing antibiotics to patient for C.diff
How Is Clostridiodes Difficile (C. Diff) Treated?
Sad and depressed woman sitting on the sofa at home
What Is Malaise and How Does It Affect Your Body?
Cruise ship
Norovirus Outbreaks on Cruise Ships: How to Avoid Getting Sick on Vacation
young child with impetigo taking medication
Impetigo Explained: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
An older white man with gray hair wearing a gray sweater is holding his right hand to his right ear because he has an earache.
Can COVID Cause Ear Pain or Infections?
A young african american woman wearing pajamas is sick in bed and blowing her nose.
Are Your Symptoms From a Cold or COVID?
Woman in a pink bathroom sits in bed, rubbing her aching neck
COVID and Muscle Pain: What You Need To Know
A person seated on a couch, hands together
What Do COVID Nails Look Like?
Woman Hands Peeling Ripe Sweet Tangerine Wearing Orange Sweater Lying In Bed Under The Blanket
5 Foods To Eat With COVID-19—and What To Avoid
Woman Holding a Covid-19 Rapid Test At Home
Does a Faint Line on a COVID Test Mean You're Positive?
person taking at home covid test
Can You Still Use an Expired COVID Test?
Little girl gets PCR COVID test through her nose.
How Long Will You Test Positive for COVID-19 After Recovery?
Various pills and capsules on a plain surface representing medications or supplements
What Happens If You Forget an Antibiotic Dose
A person touching their face with a hand appearing to feel discomfort or exhaustion
Can You Actually Get Pink Eye From a Fart? Here’s the Truth
Person wearing a scarf in bed coughing
7 Reasons Your Dry Cough Is Worse at Night
Close up of woman taking a spoonful of oatmeal porridge mixture
What To Eat After Food Poisoning: Safe Foods and Drinks
Person wearing COVID-19 mask and applying hand sanitizer.
COVID Incubation Period: Facts You Should Know
A healthcare worker administers a vaccine to an elderly man in a clinical setting
Do You Have Monkeypox (Mpox)? Everything You Need To Know
woman squeezing medicated scabies cream into hand
How Is Scabies Treated? Medications, Lifestyle Changes, and More
A mom puts her hand on her daughter's forehead while looking at a thermometer
The Stages of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)
Man applying insect repellent to his arm to help prevent mosquitos from biting him.
What To Know About Yellow Fever
woman covering her cheek due to toothache
Everything To Know About Mumps
Redness on child's cheeks caused by fifth disease, which is sometimes called slapped cheek disease
What To Know About Fifth Disease ("Slapped Cheek" Disease)
Adult applying ointment to arm of child with chickenpox
What To Know About Chickenpox (Varicella-Zoster Virus)
young child with thermometer in her mouth experiencing fever while laying down on a couch and holding a box of tissues
Signs and Symptoms of Rotavirus
person in green shirt sitting on cough holding stomach in pain and experiencing nausea
A Complete Guide to Norovirus
boy with red cheeks due to fifth disease, a result of parvovirus b19
Signs and Symptoms of Fifth Disease (Parvovirus B19)
Pregnant person coughing a lot over telemed appointment
Is Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Hard To Diagnose?
Signs of an Anal Fissure
Signs and Symptoms of an Anal Fissure
Health Photo Composite - Whooping Cough
Signs and Symptoms of Whooping Cough
A doctor listens to a child's lungs as the child coughs
How Is Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Treated?
Health Photo Composite - Bird Flu
Signs and Symptoms of Bird Flu
monkeypox virus under a microscope
What Does a Mpox Rash Look Like? Signs and Symptoms
Health Photo Composite - Listeria
What Is Listeria and How It Can Affect Your Health
Health Photo Composite - Listeriosis
Signs and Symptoms of Listeria Infection
Health Photo Composite - Salmonella
Signs and Symptoms of Salmonella
person taking antibiotics to treat staph infection
How Is a Staph Infection Treated?
Finding parasites in feces in laboratory.
What Is a Tapeworm Infection?
a dad helping his son with RSV blow his nose
Signs and Symptoms of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
person with stomach flu sick on cough with stomach pain
9 Common Stomach Flu Symptoms To Look Out For
health.com illustration showing the common and less common symptoms of norovirus
Signs and Symptoms of Norovirus
Photo Composite - TSS
Signs and Symptoms of Toxic Shock Syndrome
Doctor examining patient's arm
Signs and Symptoms of Staph Infection
person with e. coli infection having stomach pain and fatigue
Signs and Symptoms of an E. Coli Infection
Doctor with radiological chest x-ray film for medical diagnosis of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
making undercooked meat can cause an e. coli infection
What Causes E. Coli Infections?
Closeup hands of old woman suffering from leprosy.
Leprosy: Types Symptoms and Treatments Explained
Stool Culture and Sensitive test on Salmonella Shigella (SS) Agar medium. Showing growth of E.Coli which consider as normal Flora.
Dysentery: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment, Explained
doctor giving older man vaccine
Are RSV Vaccines Safe for People Over 60?
woman scratching wrist
How Is Scabies Diagnosed?
Person lying on couch with stomach pain
Signs and Symptoms of Tapeworms
Young woman feeling nausea during breakfast time at dining table
What To Know About the Shigella Infection
Nurse is changing bandage to a patient
Everything You Need to Know About MSSA: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
leprosy skin symptoms on the back of a woman's hand
Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Leprosy
older woman taking an antibiotic with water
How Antibiotics Really Work
person with tuberculosis coughing on bed
Signs and Symptoms of Tuberculosis