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Mumps is an infection caused by a virus that is now uncommon in Australia because we have a vaccine for it. About one-third of people with mumps only have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. When symptoms do occur, they include swelling of the glands that produce saliva, high fever and headache. Men and adolescent boys may have tender testicles. Very rarely, women and adolescent girls may have abdominal pain because of inflammation of the ovaries.Serious complications can sometimes occur, including swelling of the spinal cord and brain, and hearing loss. Very rarely, a person can become infertile. In extremely rare cases, a person may die.

Diseases that spread through mosquito bites are called mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquitoes can pick up germs from biting infected animals or infected humans, but in Australia most mosquitoes do not carry disease-causing germs.The mosquito-borne diseases reported most often in Australia are Ross River virus infection, Barmah Forest virus infection, dengue fever (in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait) and malaria (usually in people who have travelled overseas). Other mosquito-borne diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, Kunjin (West Nile) virus and Chikungunya virus are very rare.Mosquito-borne diseases cause various symptoms, which often include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash. Some can have rare but serious complications. For details on individual diseases, see healthdirect.

Molluscum contagiosum is a common skin infection caused by the molluscipox virus. The virus causes a rash of pearly, skin-coloured lumps that can appear anywhere on the body. The most common places to find them are under the arms, at the back of the knees, on the inside of the elbows, and at the tops of the thighs. The lumps are usually small, with a white centre and an indented surface.The disease is not serious and usually disappears without treatment, but this may take several months, or even longer in people whose immune defences are not working well. The infection is most common in children but has no long-term effects.

Meningitis is an infection of the membranes that cover the spinal cord and brain. A lot of different viruses can cause meningitis, including the ones that cause gastroenteritis, measles, mumps, chickenpox and herpes.Symptoms include headache, fever, vomiting, neck stiffness, joint pain, drowsiness or confusion, and discomfort when looking at bright lights. Although symptoms may be severe, people usually recover completely.

Meningococcal infection is a severe but uncommon infection caused by a germ called Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus. There are several types of meningococcal bacteria that cause disease in humans. Most cases of meningococcal disease worldwide are caused by types A, B, C, W and Y. Vaccination against these types is available under the National Immunisation Program to give extra protection to people who are most at risk of meningococcal disease.Meningococcal infection can cause meningitis (infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord). The germ can also infect the blood, joints, eyes, lungs and skin. Symptoms in infants and young children include fever, refusing feeds, fretfulness, vomiting, a rash of reddish- purple spots or bruises, a high-pitched or moaning cry, and pale or blotchy skin. The child may be difficult to wake up.Meningococcal blood infections (septicaemia) can cause shock and death within hours ofsymptoms starting. In Australia, 5–10% of people infected with meningococcus die, even if they are treated promptly. Meningococcal disease can affect anyone; however, those at higher risk include infants, small children, adolescents and young adults.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus, which is very infectious. Symptoms can include fever, tiredness, stomach pain, loss of appetite and nausea. This is sometimes followed by dark urine and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice). Symptoms can last from 1 week to several months. Children under 3 years old rarely have any symptoms. Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for people at higher risk of being infected.

Head lice are tiny insects that live in hair and feed on blood. Young children are more likely to get head live because they tend to have more head-to-head contact with other children, especially during playtime. They can cause itching of the scalp, but they do not cause disease. Lice can affect anyone, and are not a sign of dirty hair or poor hygiene.Symptoms include itchiness on the scalp, seeing live lice or nits (lice eggs) in the hair, and sores or red bumps on the scalp or neck from scratching.

Roseola is caused by a virus. It is a mild disease and is common in children aged 6 months to 3 years. It usually begins with a high fever that starts suddenly. The fever lasts 3 to 5 days and then a rash appears, usually as the child’s temperature returns to normal. The rash is usually fine, raised, red spots and can last from several hours to several days. The rash first appears on the trunk of the body and spreads to the arms and legs. The rash turns white (blanches) when pressed.

Rotavirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis (or ‘gastro’) in children. Symptoms include vomiting, fever and watery diarrhoea. It usually starts suddenly. Rotavirus mainly affects infants and young children up to 3 years of age. In cooler parts of Australia, rotavirus peaks in mid to late winter. In the northern tropical and arid parts of Australia, disease peaks are less predictable.Rotavirus gastroenteritis can cause dehydration because of the fluid lost through vomiting and diarrhoea.

RSV is a common virus affecting the lungs and breathing passages. RSV in children usually causes mild to moderate cold-like symptoms lasting from 8 to 15 days. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, coughing and wheezing.In young children and babies under 12 months old, RSV can cause a chest infection called bronchiolitis. Signs of bronchiolitis include wheezing and difficulty breathing. This may get worse over the first 3 to 4 days before starting to improve. Some children and adults (particularly the elderly) need hospital treatment for their RSV lung infection.

Rubella is caused by a virus and is usually a mild illness. Rubella is now rare in Australia because we have a vaccine.Symptoms begin like a cold, with a slight fever, sore throat and enlarged glands in the neck. A rash appears 2 to 3 days later, beginning on the face and spreading to the trunk. The spots are pale pink at first and join to form patches. The rash disappears after a few days.

Bronchiolitis is a potentially serious chest infection caused by a virus. The virus infects the small breathing tubes (bronchioles) of the lungs, which makes them inflamed. They then produce more mucus than normal, which causes breathing difficulties.

Bronchitis is a chest infection, usually caused by a virus. The virus makes the lining of the windpipe and bronchi (the tubes leading from the windpipe to the lungs) inflamed and swollen, so it produces more mucus than normal. This causes a cough and sometimes a pain in the throat or upper chest when coughing. Bronchitis is usually mild in children.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly infectious disease caused by infection of the respiratory tract with a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. It can affect babies, children and adults. Vaccination can prevent whooping cough.

Salmonella is a bacteria that causes gastroenteritis (or ‘gastro’) and occasionally bloodstream infection. Symptoms include diarrhoea (sometimes with blood or mucus in the faeces), fever, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. The severity of the symptoms depends on the number of germs swallowed, the person’s age and their general health.Specific types of Salmonella cause typhoid and paratyphoid fever (see separate fact sheet). These can be more severe abdominal and bloodstream infections, but are generally only reported in returned travellers from countries where typhoid is common.

Scabies is an infestation of the skin by tiny, insect-like creatures called mites. Scabies affects people of all ages, sexes, races and standards of personal hygiene. Having scabies does not mean that people are unclean. Scabies is specific to humans. Animals can get mite infections that look the same, but they do not cause disease in humans.

Shigella is a germ that can cause a severe bowel infection. It is a type of gastroenteritis (or ‘gastro’). Symptoms include diarrhoea (sometimes containing blood or mucus), fever, vomiting and stomach cramps. Some infected people have no symptoms. Even very small numbers of the germs can cause an infection, so strict control measures are needed to stop it spreading.

Shingles (also called herpes zoster) is a painful, blistering rash. It is caused when the virus that causes chickenpox (varicella-zoster virus) reactivates in the body. Shingles only affects people who have previously had chickenpox. Shingles can affect people of any age, but is more common in those over 50. It rarely affects children under 3 years old. If someone gets shingles, prompt treatment with antivirals can reduce its severity and duration. Antivirals should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis.

Strep throat is a throat infection caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus). The symptoms of strep throat can range from mild to severe. They include sore throat, painful swallowing, fever, swollen glands in the neck, and loss of appetite.Serious but rare complications of strep throat include scarlet fever, rheumatic fever and kidney disease.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral infection caused by a group of viruses known as enteroviruses. It is not related to the disease in cattle with a similar name (foot-and-mouth disease). Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease include tiny blisters on various parts of the body, including in the mouth, and on the fingers, palms of hands, buttocks, nappy area, soles of the feet, upper arms or upper legs. The blisters last a little longer than a week. The worst symptom is often the blisters in the mouth, which make it difficult for the child to eat or drink. In adults, the disease is rare and may cause mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.