Dr. Lyle M Pfeifer MD

In the early 19th to the 20th century, parents would have been surprised to know that future generations would be free from childhood diseases. Diphtheria was then one of the most common diseases that took the lives of thousands of children, while polio left thousands of children crippled. Measles...

The Nature of Cancerous CellsEvery cell in the human body is programmed to carry out a specific role. For example, a red blood cell carries oxygen to tissues, a white blood cell wards off infection, and an intestinal cell absorbs nutrients in the digestive tract. All these cells are programmed to...

Blisters can occur for numerous reasons. Although they are not often serious, the appearance of blisters itself can be very off-putting. A blister is a fluid-filled bubble that develops under the skin. The watery liquid under the blister is often clear, which is called serum.When blisters break, the...

It is very common to assume that anyone with the sniffles is contagious. Very often, however, those sniffles are not linked to anything contagious at all--they can be related to other factors. The first thought of many individuals when they suffer from a runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing, or...

Diarrhea is a waterborne and foodborne disease that may occur due to an infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Diarrhea can also happen as a side effect from food allergies and food intolerances. The condition is characterized by loose or watery stools, which is usually accompanied by...

Shingles is a contagious viral infection that is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. This virus affects a particular nerve section, causing painful rashes on the skin connected to that particular nerve. The rash normally appears in a form of a band on any...