Your Child Is Fussy. She Won't Eat. Her Temperature Is Rising. This Is a Scary Time For

Your child is fussy. She won't eat. Her temperature is rising. This is a scary time for any parent. Not knowing what's wrong and not knowing what to do make it scarier. You want to be prepared for times when your child is sick or feverish, so that you will remain calm and know when and how to involve your doctor. This article will help you understand what's ailing your child, what to do about it and what to tell the doctor. Here's a preview:  Diagnosing a Childhood Illness Talk to your doctor beforehand about what medicines to keep in the house, when it's appropriate to call the doctor, and what to do in an emergency. This page will tell you what to ask your doctor so that you'll know what's going on when your child starts displaying symptoms.  How To Treat a Child's Fever Fever is the body's normal response to infection. Many illnesses can cause a child to have a fever, and there is usually little you can do other than to treat the symptoms and try to make your child more comfortable. This page will explain how to read a child's temperature, which types of thermometers to use, how to treat a fever and when to get a doctor involved. Diagnosing a Childhood Illness No situation is more frightening for a new parent than a sick baby. Your infant fusses, does not eat well, and has a fever. Should you take her to the hospital? Should you call your doctor? Or are you overreacting? As a well-informed parent, you want to know what you should do -- when to be concerned and when not to worry. You want to know when to call the doctor and how to describe your child's illness. That's what this section is all about. What You Need to Know All parents need to learn to tell when their child is sick, when to seek professional help, what to do in emergencies, and how to give medicines. Once you know these facts, you can make the best decisions about your child's health care. One of the best ways to deal with illness is to be prepared. This includes knowing about common childhood illnesses and emergency measures, as well as having and knowing how to give the appropriate medicines. Some general steps you should take to prepare yourself for illness or accident follow:  Write down the telephone numbers of your child's doctor, including the number for after- hours services, the hospital, the local poison control center, the fire department, and the ambulance service. Post these numbers near every telephone and in a central location, such as on the refrigerator, and include the numbers in your cell phone directory and personal digital assistant. Make sure your babysitters know where these numbers are located and how to dial 911 in an emergency. When dialing 911, stay on the phone line even if you are unable to tell the operator where you are; the operator can track the phone number to the location.

 Ask your doctor what you should have on hand for emergencies and treatment of common ailments. Some doctors suggest keeping certain commonly used medicines on hand for late-night illnesses.  Discuss with your doctor what you should do in an emergency. If your child eats a bottle of pills or drinks a poison, should you call your doctor, the local emergency room, or the poison control center? (Most doctors recommend that you call the poison control center first.) If your child is injured, should you call your doctor first or take your child to the emergency room? Asking these questions before an accident actually occurs helps you and your doctor know what to expect.

 Learn about childhood illnesses and accidents. Articles such as this one help prepare you for the inevitable illnesses and injuries that befall all children. Other sources of information include your child's doctor and the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org).

 Take a first-aid course and learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the Heimlich maneuver (for choking). Be sure the instruction pertains to both children and adults (many courses deal only with adults). In the classes you have the opportunity to practice these skills on specially constructed models that are very lifelike.

 Most important, in an emergency, don't panic! You must remain calm to react properly to the situation and get your child the appropriate care. Panicking will only slow you down and interfere with your ability to think clearly. Calming techniques, such as taking two or three slow, deep breaths or talking out loud to yourself in a reassuring voice, may help you deal with the panic; you can practice these techniques before a real emergency arises. Before You Call the Doctor Before your child ever gets sick, talk with the doctor about the types of symptoms or illnesses which would warrant an after-hours call and which could wait to be evaluated during regular office hours. Keep the doctor's guidelines in mind when you think about calling him or her in the middle of the night. If you are very worried about your child's health and well-being, do not hesitate to call after- hours; however, refrain from doing so in nonemergency situations. Your doctor can give you advice over the phone to handle most childhood illnesses during the night -- until you can see the doctor in the morning. Before you call your doctor, you need to have some information ready to respond to your doctor's questions, and you need to know what information you want to get from the call. For example, if you feel your child needs medicine, don't wait to call until all the local drugstores are closed. In some communities, it's next to impossible to get any medicines after the pharmacies are closed. It's better to call your doctor earlier rather than later. Also, almost all illnesses seem to get worse as the night progresses, so if your child isn't well at 7:00 P.M., there's little chance he'll be a lot better by 10:00 P.M. If you are concerned, call at 7:00 P.M. instead of waiting until 10:00 P.M. If you really want the doctor to see your child, tell him or her right at the outset of the call. Your doctor will then know that all the reassurances over the phone won't help if you really want to have your child examined. However, if you just want some advice over the phone, let your doctor know that also. Once you decide to make the call to your doctor, you should have some important information on hand so you can more efficiently let your doctor know exactly what's going on. First, the doctor needs some basic data. Give the doctor your child's name and age to help your doctor place your child. Be prepared to tell the doctor your child's weight, what medicines he's taking, what illnesses he's had, and the date of his last visit to a doctor. Then be ready to answer these questions about the current situation:  What's wrong with your child? This may sound like a silly question to prepare for, but all too often a parent can't answer it concisely. Think about your child's problem and be prepared to describe exactly what's going on. Think about the following: What is your child eating (solids, liquids, nothing)? Is he urinating a normal amount? Does he have diarrhea? If he's not acting himself, what's abnormal about his actions? Does he have a fever? If so, how high is his temperature and what method did you use to take it?

 What's happened to make you decide to call the doctor now? This is an important question for you to think about. For example, your child's temperature may have gone up a lot, or he may have suddenly begun to cry and pull at his ear, or he may have just begun to vomit violently. Or perhaps you are concerned because your child's high fever has not broken after a few hours. If you are worried because your child's condition has worsened or because it hasn't gotten better, contact your child's doctor for advice. Ask the doctor for specific directions to alleviate your child's symptoms.

 What do you think is ailing your child? Often, parents know what's wrong. This is particularly true if their child has had many episodes of the same illness. For example, many parents know when their child is getting another ear infection. Or if other members of the family have had a similar illness, there's a good chance your child is getting it. Or perhaps you're concerned because your child's symptoms are similar to those attributed to a particular disease you've heard about. Let the doctor know what you suspect, even if it seems far-fetched or silly.

 Where do you want a prescription filled? Know which drugstore you want to use and make sure it's open and has a pharmacist on duty before you call. Have the phone number of the drugstore ready to give to your doctor. Doctors who take care of children expect interruptions and emergencies -- these go with the age group. Most have no problems with appropriate phone calls at any hour. Signs and Symptoms Whenever your child is ill, your observations of her condition are very important. When you assess your child's illness, you're really looking at two different aspects: signs and symptoms. These terms have specific meanings to your doctor. A symptom is something a patient complains about. A sign is something the doctor (or you) can see, measure, feel, hear, taste, or smell. If your child complains that her ear hurts, this is a symptom; if she keeps pulling on her ear, that is a sign. Signs and symptoms are indicators of illness, but they are not illnesses themselves. When your doctor treats your child, he or she may treat the signs and symptoms of the illness, the illness itself, or both. For example, acetaminophen is frequently given to a child with a fever; it may reduce the fever, but it doesn't affect the underlying illness causing the fever. However, an antibiotic given to your child when he has an ear infection actually helps the body fight off the infection, so it treats the illness. The earache (a symptom) and the fever (a sign) go away because you are treating the infection (the illness). For a list of precautions to take when using over-the-counter analgesics, click here. Most of the medicines you can buy in the drugstore without a prescription treat symptoms but don't treat the illness itself. In other words, over-the-counter cold medicines you may buy for your child don't make her cold go away any more quickly, but they may make her feel a little better. There's an ongoing debate about treating signs and symptoms of common illnesses. Some doctors believe, unless the signs and symptoms are severe, you're better off not treating them. Some of the symptoms of an illness may actually be beneficial and speed recovery. Every medicine has side effects, and sometimes these are worse than the illness itself. One of the signs that may speed recovery is fever. On the next page you'll learn about this special condition and what's going on in your child's body. How to Treat a Child's Fever Fever in a child strikes fear in the hearts of many parents. If a fever seems high, they may wonder if their child will have a seizure or the temperature will "cook" their child's brain and cause permanent damage. Fever is perhaps the most misunderstood sign in all of medicine. But you should know the proper way to treat your child's fever and when you should call your doctor. Fever is the body's normal response to infection. Everyone has an internal thermostat that controls body temperature. When an infection is present, certain chemicals are released in the body that, in effect, reset the thermostat to a higher setting. This helps to explain the chills your child may experience when his temperature is going up. He feels cold because his body wants to be at a higher temperature. Once his fever breaks, he is hot because his body wants to be at a lower temperature. The breaking of the fever means his internal thermostat has been turned down to normal. Understanding how a fever occurs helps you know how to treat the chills and sweats that often accompany an illness. When your child has the chills, add some blankets until he feels comfortable. Similarly, when he begins to sweat and feels warm, you should take off clothes or blankets. Bundling him up when he feels warm defeats what his body is trying to accomplish. ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. When using a glass thermometer, shake it down before each use.

Taking a Temperature A normal oral temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A normal rectal temperature is one degree higher; an axillary (armpit) temperature is one degree lower. "Normal" means average -- some people run a slightly higher or lower temperature, and that is normal for them. Temperature also varies throughout the day; a person's temperature is usually a little higher in the afternoon and evening. It's a good idea to know your child's normal temperature in case it is slightly above or below average. The most accurate way to take the temperature of a young child is rectally. Any thermometer will do, although one designed for rectal use is shaped a little differently so it goes in more easily. If your child can't keep a thermometer under her tongue and can't keep her mouth closed for three minutes, use a rectal thermometer. Inexpensive electronic thermometers (for oral or rectal use) are more accurate, quicker and easier to read, and safer than glass thermometers, which can break. They signal you when they have reached their final reading by sounding a tone. If you use an electronic thermometer, however, keep fresh batteries on hand. To take your child's temperature with a rectal thermometer, lay your child on her stomach. (If you are using a glass thermometer, shake down the thermometer to 96 degrees or lower and lubricate it with some petroleum jelly first.) After separating her buttocks with the thumb and first finger of one hand, gently insert the thermometer to a depth of about one inch. Then pinch her buttocks closed. Hold a glass thermometer in place for three minutes to be sure you get an accurate reading or wait for the tone to sound in an electronic thermometer before withdrawing it. Be sure to shake down a glass thermometer before each use. Separate the baby's buttocks and gently insert the thermometer. Thoroughly wash (with cool water) and dry the thermometer after each use. Put the thermometer under her tongue (if you use a glass thermometer, be sure to shake it down first). She should close her mouth around the thermometer (without biting down) and keep her mouth shut for three minutes or until the tone sounds. Be sure she hasn't drunk anything cold or hot within the 15 to 30 minutes before you take her temperature (if she has, the reading will be artificially low or high, respectively). Axillary temperatures are not very accurate. The same applies to temperatures taken with strips held against a child's forehead. How Important Is a Fever? Many childhood illnesses cause a fever; most of these illnesses are caused by viruses. Unfortunately, viruses don't respond to antibiotics. There's nothing medicine has to offer to treat the vast majority of viral illnesses except symptomatic relief (known as supportive therapy). Young children are smarter than adults in many ways. One is the way they respond to illness. When they are sick, they look and act sick. They don't try to hide their illness. The way your child looks and acts is a much more accurate reflection of the seriousness of his illness than his temperature. Don't panic just because your child has a fever -- watch how he acts. You should call the doctor if a child younger than six months old has a temperature over 101 degrees. For an older child, call the doctor if the temperature is over 103 degrees or if he has a temperature of 101 degrees or greater for 48 hours. Remember that a fever is a sign the body is fighting off the illness. Treating a Fever If your child's temperature is high enough, or if the fever makes him very uncomfortable, you should go ahead and treat it. Acetaminophen is the drug to use. Do not give a child aspirin. The use of aspirin in a child with a viral disease has been associated with a very serious illness called Reye syndrome. Acetaminophen is available under many different names. Acetaminophen products designed for use in children also come in different forms -- liquid, syrup, and chewable tablets. Most drug doses, including acetaminophen, are calculated according to the weight of the child. Read the package directions carefully, and be sure you understand them before giving your child a dose. Check with your doctor or a pharmacist if you have any questions about the correct dose. Parents wonder whether they should bathe their child to bring down his temperature. Many doctors now believe this treatment is never needed. Others may advise sponge baths if your child's fever is very high. Check with your child's doctor. If you do sponge bathe your child, be sure to use tepid water (about 96 degrees Fahrenheit). Bathe him for no longer than 15 to 20 minutes and no more frequently than every two hours. Stop bathing him if he shivers or gets goosebumps. Cooling by bathing lasts only for a short time. If you do not give acetaminophen in conjunction with bathing, your child's temperature bounces right back up once he dries off. Do not use rubbing alcohol -- inhaled fumes may cause some damage. Never use ice water to bathe your child. A sick or feverish child is worrisome to a parent. Knowing what to do to relieve your child's suffering and treat the illness will alleviate much of your worry. Similarly, you don't want to become the kind of hysterical parent that is constantly calling the doctor. Following the tips and suggestions in this article should help you stay calm the next time your child is sick. Your health is one of those things you don't think about too much unless something's wrong. People who are sick think about their health a lot. People who have sick loved ones think about health a lot, too. And for the past several years, some people whose loved ones have autism have thought about vaccines a lot. Vaccines aren't exactly a modern invention. After realizing that people who survived smallpox never got it again, people started inoculating themselves around 200 B.C., hoping that a little bit of exposure in the present would save them from a devastating illness in the future [source: National Museum of American History]. Unfortunately, primitive methods, which used a live virus from infected material, could result in the patient getting a full-blown case of the disease. The big idea behind modern vaccines is this: You introduce a weakened (attenuated) or dead form of a disease into your body so that your immune system learns how to make the antibodies that fight it. That way, if you ever run into the real thing, your body is prepared to clobber it. And vaccines work. They may be the single greatest medical discovery in history. Your body can take care of some sicknesses, but other diseases race through your system like wildfire and destroy your body. Smallpox, the Great Influenza, the Black Death -- these epidemics devastated the world's populations, sickening and killing millions of people. More On Autism  How Autism Works  Autism Diet  DiscoveryHealth.com: Autism Guide

Most people start getting vaccinated as infants against a veritable "lions, tigers and bears, oh my" list of diseases: Hepatitis B, rotavirus, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, polio, measles, mumps. If someone asked you to describe the symptoms of all of those diseases, you probably wouldn't be able to unless you're in the medical profession. That's because we rarely see these diseases anymore, because we're protected by vaccines. But there's another disorder we're seeing more and more of: autism. Or rather, we're seeing more of a group of conditions, known as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Like any disorder, autism is tough. It's especially tough on caretakers. Some kids with ASDs like Asperger's are able to function in society, although with difficulty acting socially. And some kids are barely able to function at all. There is a group of people who believe that vaccines are causing ASDs. In this article, we're going to investigate whether or not this hypothesis is valid.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average life expectancy at the beginning of the 20th century was 47.3 years. A century later, that number had increased to 77.85 years, due largely to the development of vaccinations and other treatments for deadly diseases. Of course, vaccines and treatments only work if they're given, which is why many of these diseases still persist in poorer, developing countries. Despite the success of vaccines, only one of these diseases -- smallpox -- has been erased from the globe.  Here are 12 diseases that could be completely eradicated from the world if vaccines were made available to all. 1: Chicken Pox

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Before 1995, a case of the chicken pox was a rite of passage for kids. The disease, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, creates an itchy rash of small red bumps on the skin. The virus spreads when someone who has the disease coughs or sneezes, and a nonimmune person inhales the viral particles. The virus can also be passed through contact with the fluid of chicken pox blisters. Most cases are minor but in more serious instances, chicken pox can trigger bacterial infections, viral pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), before the chicken pox vaccine was approved for use in the United States in 1995, there were 11,000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths from the disease every year. Many countries don't require the vaccination because chicken pox doesn't cause that many deaths. They'd rather focus on vaccinating against the really serious diseases, so the disease is still common.

While chicken pox is still a relatively common occurrence, diseases like malaria and diphtheria seem to have been wiped out ages ago. Find out more about how these diseases were cured on the following pages. 2: Diphtheria Diphtheria is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae and mainly affects the nose and throat. The bacteria spreads through airborne droplets and shared personal items. C. diphtheriae creates a toxin in the body that produces a thick, gray or black coating in the nose, throat or airway, which can also affect the heart and nervous system. Even with proper antibiotic treatment, diphtheria kills about 10 percent of the people who contract it. The first diphtheria vaccine was unveiled in 1913, and although vaccination has made a major dent in mortality rates, the disease still exists in developing countries and other areas where people are not regularly vaccinated. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide there are about 5,000 deaths from diphtheria annually, but the disease is quite rare in the United States, with fewer than five cases reported each year. 3: Invasive H. Flu Invasive H. flu, or Hib disease, is an infection caused by the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria, which spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. Invasive H. flu is a bit of a misnomer because it isn't related to any form of the influenza virus. However, it can lead to bacterial meningitis (a potentially fatal brain infection), pneumonia, epiglottitis (severe swelling above the voice box that makes breathing difficult) and infections of the blood, joints, bones and pericardium (the covering of the heart). Children younger than 5 years old are particularly susceptible to the Hib bacteria because they haven't had the chance to develop immunity to it. The first Hib vaccine was licensed in 1985, but despite its success in the developed world, the disease is still prevalent in the developing world. WHO estimates that each year Hib disease causes 2 to 3 million cases of serious illness worldwide, mostly pneumonia and meningitis, and 450,000 deaths of young children. If you're not familiar with diseases like the invasive H. flu, see the next page to read about the cures for more household name diseases such as the measles. 4: Malaria

Photo courtesy Dr. Mae Melvin/CDC

This disease is a parasitic infection of the liver and red blood cells. In its mildest forms it can produce flulike symptoms and nausea, and in its severest forms it can cause seizures, coma, fluid buildup in the lungs, kidney failure and death. The disease is transmitted by female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. When the mosquito bites, the parasites enter a person's body, invading red blood cells and causing the cells to rupture. As the cells burst, they release chemicals that cause malaria's symptoms.

About 350 million to 500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide every year. About 1 million are fatal, with children in sub-Saharan Africa accounting for most of the deaths. Other high-risk areas include Central and South America, India and the Middle East. Malaria is treated with a variety of drugs, some of which kill the parasites once they're in the blood and others that prevent infection in the first place. Of course, if you can avoid the parasite-carrying mosquitoes, you can avoid malaria, so the disease is often controlled using mosquito repellent and bed netting, especially in poor countries that can't afford medications. 5: Measles Measles is a highly contagious viral illness of the respiratory system that spreads through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Although the first symptoms of measles mimic a simple cold, with a cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, this disease is more serious. As measles progresses, the infected person develops a fever and a red or brownish-red skin rash. Complications can include diarrhea, pneumonia, brain infection and even death, although these are seen more commonly in malnourished or immunodeficient people. Measles has historically been a devastating disease, but WHO reported in 2006 that measles mortality rates dropped from 871,000 to 454,000 between 1999 and 2004, thanks to a global immunization drive.

Until 1963, when the first measles vaccine was used in the United States, almost everyone got the measles by age 20. There has been a 99 percent reduction in measles since then, but outbreaks have occurred when the disease is brought over from other countries or when children don't get the vaccine or all the required doses. Most children today receive the measles vaccine as part of the MMR vaccination, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles). Read on to learn about a couple more obscure but often deadly illnesses: pneumococcal disease and whooping cough -- both of which have been cured in the 20th century thanks to science. 6: Pertussis

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Whoop, there it is -- and if you suspect someone has it, move away. Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. The descriptive nickname comes from the "whooping" sounds that infected children make after one of the disease's coughing spells. The coughing fits spread the bacteria and can last a minute or longer, causing a child to turn purple or red and sometimes vomit. Severe episodes can cause a lack of oxygen to the brain. Adults who contract pertussis usually have a hacking cough rather than a whooping one.

Although the disease can strike anyone, it's most prevalent in infants under age one because they haven't received the entire course of pertussis vaccinations. The pertussis vaccine was first used in 1933, but adolescents and adults become susceptible when the immunity from childhood vaccinations wanes and they don't get booster shots. According to the CDC, pertussis causes 10 to 20 deaths each year in the United States, and there were 25,000 cases reported in 2004. Worldwide, the disease causes far more damage -- about 50 million people around the world are infected annually, and WHO estimates around 294,000 deaths each year. However, 78 percent of the world's infants received three doses of the vaccine in 2004. 7: Pneumococcal Disease Pneumococcal disease is the collective name for the infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also known as pneumococcus. This bacteria finds a home all over the body. The most common types of infections caused by S. pneumoniae are middle ear infections, pneumonia, bacteremia (blood stream infections), sinus infections and bacterial meningitis. There are more than 90 types of pneumococcus, with the 10 most common types responsible for 62 percent of the world's invasive diseases.

Those infected carry the bacteria in their throats and expel it when they cough or sneeze. Like any other germ, S. pneumoniae can infect anyone, but certain population groups are more at risk, such as the elderly, people with cancer or AIDS and people with a chronic illness such as diabetes. The CDC blames pneumococcal disease for the deaths of 200 children under the age of 5 each year in the United States. WHO estimates that annually pneumococcal disease is responsible for 1 million fatal cases of respiratory illness alone; most of these cases occur in developing countries. There are two types of vaccines available to prevent pneumococcal disease, which the CDC recommends that children and adults older than age 65 receive.

Shots preventing diseases like polio and tetanus are now commonplace. Continue reading to find out how these diseases were finally cured. 8: Polio

Photo courtesy WHO; Photo by Sven Torfinn

Of the deadly infectious diseases for which science has developed vaccines and treatments, people are most familiar with the victory over polio. The disease is caused by a virus that enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person. In about 95 percent of cases, polio produces no symptoms at all (asymptomatic polio), but in the remaining cases of polio, the disease can take three forms.

Abortive polio creates flulike symptoms, such as upper respiratory infection, fever, sore throat and general malaise. Nonparalytic polio is more severe and produces symptoms similar to mild meningitis, including sensitivity to light and neck stiffness. Finally, paralytic polio produces the symptoms with which most people associate the disease, even though paralytic polio accounts for less than 1 percent of all cases. Paralytic polio causes loss of control and paralysis of limbs, reflexes and the muscles that control breathing.

Today, polio is under control in the developed world, and world health authorities are close to controlling the disease in developing countries, as well. Dr. Jonas Salk's inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) first appeared in 1955, and Dr. Albert Sabin's oral polio vaccine (OPV) first appeared in 1961. Children in the United States receive IPV, but most children in developing areas of the world receive OPV, which is cheaper and doesn't have to be administered by a health care professional; however, in rare instances, OPV can cause polio. 9: Tetanus Reproductive cells (spores) of Clostridium tetani are found in the soil and enter the body through a skin wound. Once the spores develop into mature bacteria, the bacteria produce tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin (a protein that poisons the body's nervous system) that causes muscle spasms. In fact, tetanus gets its nickname -- lockjaw -- because the toxin often attacks the muscles that control the jaw. Lockjaw is accompanied by difficulty swallowing and painful stiffness in the neck, shoulders and back. The spasms can then spread to the muscles of the abdomen, upper arms and thighs. 10: Typhoid Fever Typhoid is usually spread when food or water has been infected with Salmonella typhi, most often through contact with the feces of an infected person. Once the typhoid bacteria enter the bloodstream, the body mounts a defense that causes a high fever, headache, stomach pains, weakness and decreased appetite.

Occasionally, people who have typhoid get a rash of flat, red spots. Because sewage treatment in the United States is quite good, the disease is very rare, and the CDC reports only about 400 cases of it annually. However, people who live in developing countries where there is little water and sewage treatment, or where hand washing isn't a common practice, are at high risk. Prime typhoid fever areas are in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, India and Central and South America.

WHO estimates 17 million cases occur globally with 600,000 deaths each year. Despite these daunting statistics, typhoid fever vaccination is available for people who travel to high-risk areas, and the disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. Without treatment, the fever can continue for weeks or months, and the infection can lead to death. 11: Yellow Fever

3D4Medical.com/Getty Images Yellow fever is spread by mosquitoes infected with the yellow fever virus. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes, is the hallmark of the infection and gives it its name. Most cases of yellow fever are mild and require only three or four days to recover, but severe cases can cause bleeding, heart problems, liver or kidney failure, brain dysfunction or death.

People with the disease can ease their symptoms, but there is no specific treatment, so prevention via the yellow fever vaccine is key. The vaccine provides immunity from the disease for 10 years or more and is generally safe for everyone older than nine months.

Yellow fever occurs only in Africa, South America and some areas of the Caribbean, so only travelers who are destined for these regions need to be concerned about it. WHO estimates that there are 200,000 cases of yellow fever every year, and 30,000 of them are fatal. The elderly are at highest risk of developing the most severe symptoms. Although vaccination and mosquito- eradication efforts have made a great difference, WHO says yellow fever cases are on the rise again. 12: Smallpox Unlike other diseases on this list, which can still appear in outbreaks when vaccination vigilance weakens, smallpox has been wiped off the face of the earth, except for samples of the virus held in labs in the United States and Russia for research purposes.

Symptoms of smallpox included a high fever, head and body aches, malaise, vomiting. The most marked characteristic of the diseases is a rash of small red bumps, which progress into sores that break open and spread the virus (the virus could also be spread via contact with shared items, clothing and bedding). Smallpox was an entirely human disease -- it didn't infect any other animal or insect on the planet. Thus, once vaccination eliminated the chances of the virus spreading among the human population, the disease disappeared; in fact, the United States hasn't vaccinated for smallpox since 1972.

Although smallpox was one of the most devastating illnesses in human history, killing more than 300 million people worldwide during the 20th century alone, scientists declared the world free of smallpox in 1979. The naturally occurring disease has been eradicated, but fears remain about the smallpox samples being used as bioweapons. 