Health Promotion Board: Health Topic: Infectious Diseases

Immunisation

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Stop Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:12:24 GMT

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (HFMD) is usually a mild disease, but it has been known to cause serious complications and even death in some instances. Read this article for more information and advice on how to control its transmission.

Know How to Fight Flu

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:11:32 GMT

Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a virus. It spreads easily through droplets, and may lead to serious complications if left untreated. Vaccination is one of the steps to fight the flu. Read on to learn more.

Getting Support

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:10:20 GMT

The general public can get information or medical consultations on infectious diseases from any primary health clinic in Singapore. If they require further consultation, they will be referred by their doctors.

Rotavirus Disease

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:37:10 GMT

Rotavirus disease is the most common cause of serious diarrhoea in infants and young children. It is a highly contagious infection, but can be prevented by vaccinating against the rotavirus. Read on to understand more about the rotavirus disease.

Travelling and Infectious Diseases

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:29:05 GMT

Travelling is a pathway for the spread of infectious diseases to new geographical areas. The emergence of an infectious disease is complex and the most powerful force driving its emergence is human activities like travelling.

Why Are Clean Hands Important For Children?

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:24:02 GMT

Germs are everywhere and your hands may carry them and cause infection to yourself and your loved ones. Children are most vulnerable to get infections, hence instilling good personal hygiene in children such as inculcating hand washing habits is vital for their health and well-being.

Protect Yourself And Your Loved Ones

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:21:38 GMT

Influenza A (H1N1) has affected many countries all over the world. While it may be challenging to manage, here are some simple tips that will help you protect yourself and you loved ones from this virus.

AIDS / HIV

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:47:55 GMT

HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS or ‘Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome’ occurs in the later stage of HIV infection. A person infected with HIV can take up to 10 years to develop AIDS.

Chickenpox

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:43:21 GMT

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease. It is a common childhood disease, characterised by fever and small, red, itchy blisters on the body and face. Chickenpox can also give rise to more severe problems in pregnant women, causing stillbirths or birth defects, and can spread to their babies during childbirth. Chickenpox can be prevented through vaccination.

The Solution for Buggy Keyboards

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:14:51 GMT

Difficult to maintain as germ free, keyboards make for an excellent hideout for bacteria of all kinds. This is bad news for those of us who eat our breakfast/lunch in front of our computers.

Keep Your Hands Clean

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:09:25 GMT

You may not know it, but they are right there on your hands. While most germs are harmless, others are potential threats that can cause serious infection like influenza. Hand-washing is an effective way of protecting yourself and your loved ones against these germs. This article will give you tips on how to keep your hands clean.

Preventing and Controlling Public Health Threats

Mon, 18 May 2009 20:38:20 GMT

The spread of infectious diseases knows no boundaries, especially in a globalised world where exposure to transmittable diseases is increasing due to overseas travel becoming more common. However, making infectious diseases notifiable by law to prevent and control its spread allows Singapore and the rest of the world to tackle public health threats more efficiently and effectively.

Dengue Fever

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:56:26 GMT

Dengue fever is a mosquito borne disease caused by dengue virus which is usually self limiting in most cases. However, in some people it can present with life threatening complications such Dengue Shock Syndrome and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. Dengue is not contagious and does not spread from person to person by physical contact. The most effective way of preventing dengue fever is by taking precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Rubella

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mumps

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mumps is a common childhood viral infection caused by the mumps virus. The infection is usually characterized by swelling of the parotid gland. Serious complications can arise from mumps such as brain infection, orchitis, deafness and pancreatitis. Routine vaccination programme against mumps has resulted in the drop of incidence of this contagious illness.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A virulent bug that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) came into spotlight in early 2003. SARS is a new and relatively rare disease but is potentially fatal. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) report, there were 8,096 known infected cases and 774 deaths worldwide between November 2002 and July 2003. Death from SARS is primarily due to viral pneumonia.

Measles

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Measles is a contagious viral infection common in children. However, it can be contracted at any age. Although most people with measles recover completely, there are cases when a person can be very ill and develops complication. The infection spreads easily among individuals who haven't been vaccinated. So it is important that parents should get their child vaccinated because immunisation is the best prevention against measles.

Herpes

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Herpes is a common viral infection which causes painful blisters usually affecting the mouth or genital area. Herpes virus remains permanently in the body with no cure. It can be serious and potentially fatal condition for people with weakened immunity, newborns and pregnant women. Antiviral medications are available that can alleviate symptoms and reduce outbreaks.

Whooping Cough

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Characterised by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when the person breathes in, Pertussis, commonly known as “whooping” cough, is highly contagious and deadly respiratory infection. Vaccination is the best protection against Pertussis. Through the routine childhood immunisation programme in most countries, the number of deaths from whooping cough has significantly reduced.

Tuberculosis

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tuberculosis (TB) killed an estimated 1.6 million people worldwide in 2005 and remains a major health problem according to the World Health Organisation. Singapore has continued to see a drop in the number of TB cases. There were 1,256 new cases of tuberculosis reported among Singapore residents in 2006 compared to 1,712 cases in 1997, giving an incidence rate of about 35 per 100,000 population.

Shingles

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash known as Herpes Zoster. Shingles is not a life-threatening condition; however it can be very painful. Early treatment can help shorten the duration of shingles infection and minimize the chance of complications.

Polio

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Poliomyelitis, or Polio, is a highly infectious viral disease and can be deadly. The polio virus invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis. The usual mode of transmission is through contaminated food and water. There is no cure for polio. However, it can be prevented by immunisation.

Malaria

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Malaria is an infectious disease that is transmitted from person to person through the bites of an infected mosquito. It still remains a major health problem in many parts of the world especially in the tropical and subtropical regions. According to the World Health Organization, there are about 500 million cases of malaria each year. Without treatment, the infection can be fatal and life-threatening. Appropriate anti-malarial treatment should be initiated immediately once the diagnosis is confi...