The MMR vaccine is a "3-in-1" vaccine that protects against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella

Influenza, commonly called "the flu," is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract. Compared with most other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, influenza infection often causes a more severe illness.

Most people who get the flu recover completely in 1 to 2 weeks, but some people develop serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications, such as pneumonia. In an average year, influenza is associated with about 20,000 deaths nationwide

Much of the illness and death caused by influenza can be prevented by annual influenza vaccination. Influenza vaccine is specifically recommended for people who are at high risk for developing serious complications as a result of influenza infection. These high-risk groups include all people aged 65 years or older and people of any age with chronic diseases of the heart, lung, or kidneys, diabetes, immunosuppression, or severe forms of anemia.

The influenza vaccine causes no side effects in most people. Less than one-third of those who receive vaccine have some soreness at the vaccination site, and about 5% to 10% experience mild side effects, such as headache or low-grade fever for about a day after vaccination. Some people believed that the vaccine had caused them to get the flu. However, influenza vaccine produced in the United States has never been capable of causing influenza.

The optimal time for vaccination programs for persons at high risk of influenza-related medical complications is usually the period from October to mid-November. It takes about 1 to 2 weeks after vaccination for antibody against influenza to develop and provide protection.

Infection begins when the bacteria enters a dirty wound or cut. The bacteria that multiply produce a neurotoxin. The toxin causes muscles to go into spasms which may be so powerful that they tear the muscles or cause fractures of the vertebrae. Without treatment, 1 out of 3 affected people die.

It is recommended that adults receive a combined immunization for Diphtheria and Tetanus once every ten years.

Chicken pox is usually a childhood disease which then leads to lifelong immunity. Those people who were not exposed in childhood are at risk of developing chicken pox as an adult. Chicken pox can cause high grade fever and itchy skin lesions. It is sometimes complicated by a serious form of pneumonia. Persons infected with the chicken pox virus are also at risk of developing " shingles" in later years.

Adults who have no recollection of having chicken pox as a child are candidates for the chicken pox vaccine. It requires two doses and provides long term immunity

Pneumococcal pneumonia is one of the most common and serious types of bacterial pneumonias. It still results each year 500,000 cases of pneumonia in the US alone. Pneumococcal infection causes an estimated 40,000 deaths annually in the United States.

Adults 65 or older are at increased risk for Pneumococcal infection. Also persons with cardiovascular diseases (e.g., congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy), chronic pulmonary diseases (e.g., Asthma or Emphysema), chronic liver diseases or diabetes also are at increased risk for developing Pneumococcal infection and experiencing severe complications.

Persons under 65 with any of the above risk factors should be vaccinated. All persons over 65 regardless of risk factors should also be vaccinated

Hepatitis B can affect anyone. Each year in the United States, more than 200,000 people of all ages get hepatitis B and close to 5,000 die of sickness caused by HBV  ( Hepatitis B Virus). One out of 20 people in the United States will get hepatitis B sometime during their lives.

You get hepatitis B by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person; for example, you can become infected by having sex or sharing needles with an infected person. You may have hepatitis B and not know it; sometimes a person with HBV infection has no symptoms at all. There is no cure for hepatitis B; this is why prevention is so important. Hepatitis B vaccine is the best protection against HBV

Persons of any age whose behavior puts them at high risk for HBV infection or whose jobs expose them to human blood should get vaccinated

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by hepatitis A virus. Symptoms usually last less than 2 months; a few persons are ill for as long as 6 months. Hepatitis A virus is spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. Food is a frequent source when restaurant workers don’t wash their hands. For this reason, the virus is more easily spread in areas where there are poor sanitary conditions or where good personal hygiene is not observed.

Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for people who work in day care centers, or anywhere that may bring them in contact with human waste. It is also recommended for people traveling to areas of the world outside the US, Canada, Western Europe, and Australia. The Caribbean and Mexico are high risk areas.

Hepatitis A vaccine is a two part vaccine that provides lifelong immunity.

Lyme disease is spread by the bite of ticks. In their larval and nymphal stages, these ticks are no bigger than a pinhead. Adult ticks are slightly larger.

engage in outdoor recreation (e.g., golfing, gardening, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting) OR

have a high-risk occupation (i.e. one that requires an individual to spend most of his/her working day outdoors)