Dr. Jessica Leigh Smith MD

Recommended Articles

• What Are Ketones?

  Almost every cell in the body has a primary source of energy, which is usually glucose. However, when the body doesn't have enough glucose, the liver responds by producing chemicals known as ketones, converting stored fatty acids into ketone bodies. Ketones are used as a backup fuel source when...

• Influenza B: What You Need to Know

  Influenza Influenza, also commonly called as the flu, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by viruses, particularly influenza A or influenza B. These viruses usually infect the throat, nose, and lungs. Although the flu causes mild symptoms in most people, it can also cause severe...

• What Is Cat Scratch Fever?

  IntroductionCat scratch fever or cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection spread by cats. You can get the cat scratch fever from a scratch or bite of a cat that is infected with the bacterium called Bartonella henselae. Aside from the infected cat’s scratch, you can also acquire the infection...

• Chikungunya Fever: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

  Introduction Chikungunya is a viral infection that is transmitted by mosquitoes. The chikungunya virus causes a sudden onset of fever along with severe joint pain. The illness is not considered as contagious, but in rare instances, the virus can get transmitted through contact with a person's...

• Facts About Meningitis Vaccines

  IntroductionThe only way to prevent serious and life-threatening diseases such as meningitis is through vaccination. Meningitis can also be caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. The infection usually affects the meninges or membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord. Although...

• What Is a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)?

  OverviewA transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a mini-stroke, which only lasts for a few minutes. It occurs when blood stops flowing to a part of the brain for a short time. The symptoms of TIA are similar to other symptoms of stroke, but they do not last long, so TIA does not lead to permanent...