Although rare in the United States, diphtheria can cause serious illness in people of all ages.  It is transmitted through close contact with an infected person and causes death in 5 to 10% of those who catch the disease. 

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Hepatitis A is a disease of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis A virus.  Hepatitis A is contagious, meaning it can be spread from person to person.  It is transmitted through contact with objects, food, or drinks that contain feces or stool of a person who has hepatitis A. 

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Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis B virus.  It can be spread from person to person through blood, semen, and other bodily fluid.  Hepatitis B is most commonly transmitted through intercourse, IV drug use, and from an infected mother to her child during delivery. 

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HPV is a group of viruses that, in most cases, are spread through sexual contact.  Although the majority of cases of HPV clear up on their own, some lead to cervical cancer.

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The flu is an illness caused by the influenza virus.  While people of all ages can catch the flu, some are more likely to get very ill or die from the disease. Young children, people with chronic diseases, and seniors are at greater risk for serious illness and death from the flu. 

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Measles is a highly-contagious disease that can be spread by coughs and sneezes of an infected person.  Measles can lead to serious illness in children under the age of five and adults over 20 years old.  Though deaths from measles are rare in the United States, it kills nearly 1 million children worldwide every year. 

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Mumps is an illness caused by the mumps virus.  Typically, it is spread through coughs or sneezes of an infected person.  Although uncommon in the United States, mumps can serious illness in pre-adolescent children and pregnant women.

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Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person’s spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain.  It can cause serious illness and, in serious cases, loss of limbs or death.  Meningitis is spread through close contact with an infected person, most commonly through coughing, sneezing, or kissing. 

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Pertussis, also known as “whooping cough”, is a highly-contagious disease that often is mistaken for a common cold in adolescents and adults.  It is spread by coughs and sneezes of an infected person and can cause serious illness in young infants.  Because pertussis in adolescents and adults frequently goes undiagnosed, it unknowingly can be spread to infants who have not been fully protected from the disease through immunization. 

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Pneumococcal is a bacteria that can cause serious illness and death.  In fact, it is the most common cause of death from vaccine-preventable diseases.  Pneumococcal pneumonia is spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing.

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Rubella, sometimes called “German measles”, is a viral illness that causes fever and rash.  It is spread by the coughs or sneezes of a person who is infected with rubella.  The disease can cause serious birth defects in children born to women who have rubella during pregnancy. 

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Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.  Shingles typically appears in people over 50 years old and, in rare cases, can lead to more serious illnesses like pneumonia, blindness, and death.

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Tetanus, sometimes called “lockjaw”, is a serious illness that causes tightening of the muscles all over the body.  Tetanus enters the body through a break in the skin and leads to death in about one out of ten cases. 

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Varicella (also called “chickenpox”) is a highly-contagious disease that causes blisters all over the body.  Although many people believe chickenpox is a harmless, childhood disease, it can cause severe illness in people of all ages.  In fact, serious complications from varicella are more common in adolescents and adults. 

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