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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Most infectious diseases have only minor complications, but some infections — such as pneumonia, AIDS or meningitis — can become life-threatening. A few types of infections have been linked to a long-term increased risk of cancer:

  • Human papillomavirus is linked to cervical cancer
  • Hepatitis B and C increase the risk of liver cancer
  • Helicobacter pylori is linked to stomach cancer
Preparing for your appointment Risk factors
References
  1. Understanding microbes in sickness and in health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/microbes/documents/microbesbook.pdf. Accessed Oct. 8, 2012.
  2. Long SS, et al. Long: Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-2702-9..C2009-0-41480-6--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-2702-9&uniqId=372964036-9. Accessed Oct. 8, 2012.
  3. Facts about infectious diseases. Infectious Diseases Society of America. http://www.idsociety.org/Facts_About_ID/#. Accessed Oct. 8, 2012.
  4. Escherichia coli infections. World Health Organization. http://www.emro.who.int/health-topics/escherichia-coli-infections/. Accessed Oct. 10, 2012.
  5. De Martel C, et al. Global burden of cancers attributable to infections in 2008: A review and synthetic analysis. The Lancet Oncology. 2012;13:607.
  6. Personal prevention of MRSA skin infections. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/prevent/personal.html. Accessed Oct. 10, 2012.
  7. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2006/clinical.htm. Accessed Oct. 10, 2012.
DS01145 Jan. 23, 2013

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