Childhood immunizations in the United States diphtheria patients die. Without treatment as many as half the patients can die from the disease. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is caused by the bacteria "Bordetella pertussis." The bacteria clings to cilia in the lungs and releases a toxin that damages the cilia and causes inflammation in the respiratory tract. Many infants are infected by older siblings or caregivers that don't even know they have the disease. The bacteria is spread through respiratory secretions, often through coughing or sneezing, or just from breathing in the bacteria while around someone who is infected. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the
Ménétrier's disease Ménétrier's disease Ménétrier disease (also known as hypoproteinemic hypertrophic gastropathy; named after a French physician Pierre Eugène Ménétrier, 1859–1935), is a rare, acquired, premalignant disease of the stomach characterized by massive gastric folds, excessive mucous production with resultant protein loss, and little or no acid production. The disorder is associated with excessive secretion of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α). Individuals with the disease present with upper abdominal pain (epigastric), at times accompanied by nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, edema, weakness, and weight loss. A small amount of gastrointestinal bleeding may occur, which is typically due to superficial mucosal erosions; large