MayoClinic.com Launches Infectious Disease Center

Monday, August 11, 2003

At a time when infectious diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), smallpox and West Nile virus have become household names, MayoClinic.com has launched a virtual Infectious Disease Center on its Web site, www.mayoclinic.com. The new center aims to educate consumers about their risk of exposure to infectious diseases and their options for disease prevention and treatment. The Infectious Disease Center on MayoClinic.com is sponsored by an educational grant from Aventis.

MayoClinic.com is a service reflecting Mayo Clinic's commitment to provide consumers with up-to-date information about diseases and conditions, healthy living, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The recently launched center includes information about symptoms of infectious diseases, from colds and flu to hepatitis and herpes; childhood and adult vaccines; immunization for special populations; and tools to understand the body's immune system. The Infectious Disease Center also offers users a mechanism to submit questions about a particular disease to a Mayo Clinic health-care provider. Answers to select questions are posted regularly.

"Our goal is to give people the accurate information they need at a time when they are becoming increasingly concerned about infectious diseases," says Brooks Edwards, M.D., medical editor, MayoClinic.com. "This new center is a one-stop resource with thorough, easy-to-understand information that users can rely on for trustworthy answers."

Aventis Pasteur, the vaccines business of Aventis, provides vaccines that protect children, adolescents and adults from various infectious diseases. "The sponsorship is an example of Aventis Pasteur's ongoing efforts to provide consumers and the health-care community with the information and tools necessary to make educated decisions about immunization," says Philip Hosbach, vice president, new products and immunization policy at Aventis Pasteur.

About Mayo Clinic.com MayoClinic.com helps fulfill Mayo Clinic's mission to serve as a reliable source of health information for the public. Established in 1995, it has grown in response to users needs for trustworthy answers and practical tools that can make a difference in people's lives. MayoClinic.com offers health decision guides, interviews with Mayo Clinic doctors, and an A-Z disease and condition reference. It offers suggestions about staying healthy, dealing with a new diagnosis and managing chronic diseases or medical conditions.
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CONTACT:
Suzanne Leaf-Brock
507-284-5005 (days)
507-284-2511 (evenings)
e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu

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