Every flu season we hear doctors, nurses and experts alike recommend the flu shot.

Over the course of a flu season, millions will get the virus. According to the CDC, a range of 3-11% of Americans will get the flu every year.

Once it infects the throat, nose and lungs, the virus can cause some serious symptoms. That might mean a few days off work, trip to the hospital or for many, risk of death. That’s why so many harp on the importance of the flu vaccine.

The shot acts as the first toward protecting yourself against that season’s virus. But, one high-risk group is often worried about the vaccine.

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Did you know that the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States? Earning much more attention over the last decade, that may not come as a surprise anymore.

What may still seem staggering are the current HPV statistics in the U.S.

Over one decade after the HPV vaccine was introduced, almost 80 million Americans still have the disease. That includes the 14 million people newly-diagnosed with the virus every year. The virus is even on the rise for women over the age of 40.

For a disease that’s been shown many times to be a contributing factor to cervical cancer, those are some dangerous statistics.

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Since the first case of measles in the New World-era United States 250 years ago, the country has had a rocky time with the disease.

It once killed thousands of people annually, but was eliminated due to a successful vaccine. The virus has since risen up to infect again as vaccination rates dropped. Recently measles has made a startling comeback with over 1,000 cases in the U.S. this year from January to June alone.

But how did we get here?

Let’s follow the virus’s journey and walk through the history of measles in the U.S., starting with the first “American” measles outbreak reported in 1765.

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Before you embark on your next adventure, it is extremely important that you take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe. What many travelers might not realize is every region of the world offers new health risks. That can come from different animals, insects, bacteria or a lack of medical help within the area.

Before that trip, one of the most important steps is to make sure that you have received the proper vaccines to protect from those illnesses.

This can seem like an intimidating and time-sucking process that deters some people from even traveling in the first place. But, it doesn’t have to be!

Here’s how you can get the vaccines you need in an easy and safe way.

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We already know one key thing that the rotavirus vaccine brings to the table: it prevents rotavirus.

The illness causes gastroenteritis, or the stomach flu. While a dangerous bout with the stomach flu can cause problems for anyone, children are at the greatest risk. That’s because gastroenteritis is most harmful for infants and young children. The virus can cause symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration. With bodies that are less resilient, children may also need hospitalization.

So, any vaccine that prevents such a virus already offers on helpful perk.

But, the rotavirus vaccine may also offer some help with diabetes.

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