A: Ichthyosis is definitely not contagious. It is not caused by a bacteria, virus, or germs, and thus it cannot be passed from one person to another.

Myalgia is muscle pain, often accompanied by weakness. FM patients have many overlapping medical symptoms with EMS patients, and one is muscle pain. Some with EMS have been diagnosed as having FM secondary to EMS, while others might have had pre-existing FM before they got EMS - perhaps as the result of a car accident or some other trauma. See similar questions...

Fibromyalgia, sometimes called Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Fibromyositis, Fibrositis, or Myofascial Pain Syndrome, is a chronic disorder characterized by extensive m See similar questions...

Chlamydia, etc. to be contagious, and then only moderately contagious. In these patients, casual contact is not suspected in transmission, but prolonged contact can result in transmission, such as in immediate family members. See our website, www.immed.org, for more information. I have been afflicted with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) for over 14 years, since 1986. About 16 months ago, I read one of your articles which suggested antibiotic treatment for CFS. See similar questions...

No, epilepsy is never contagious. You cannot catch epilepsy from someone else and nobody can catch it from you. See similar questions...

In many respects, yes. If you have one on your feet, it would be unwise to pick at it and it can spread to someone else if that person has the potential towards getting that virus in the same way certain people have the potential for catching a certain cold. The wart virus likes to linger around moist environments such as pools, spas, locker rooms, public showers (such as those at the gym). Wearing flip flops or crocs in these areas is always a good idea. See similar questions...

Yes. About 1% of the population carries MRSA on the skin – they are considered to be ‘colonized’ with MRSA and are generally asymptomatic. People who are exposed to the organism from a carrier generally do not get sick from it, or develop only mild illnesses (similar to normal staph infections). However, if a minor infection is not cared for, or if there are other factors (e.g., compromised immunity), then the infection may become more serious. See similar questions...

EMS is not a contagious disease. There should not be fears about that. Naturally, chronic diseases such as EMS may have profound effects upon close family members of the sick person and might contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, problems with children accepting the illness, or other physical and emotional conditions in loved ones. But this occurs with any chronic illness that goes on for many years - which is what a chronic illness is, an ongoing one. See similar questions...

Vitiligo is NOT contagious. If it were, many more people in the world, including doctors who treat vitiligo and family members of those with vitiligo, would have the condition. There are many theories about what causes vitiligo, but many experts believe, and data supports the theory, that one must be genetically susceptible, in order to develop vitiligo. See similar questions...

While the exact cause of the disease is not known, what is known indicates that Parkinson's is not contagious. Parkinson's is a neurological, not a mental, disorder. In the majority of cases, it slows the body, not the mind. However, when brain cells are affected by medication, some emotional changes can be expected. Anxiety and depression are very common among people with Parkinson's and may occur due to seratonin imbalance, a side effect of certain medications. See similar questions...

No, it's important to note that BSE is not a contagious disease; spread occur through the ingestion of infected material, generally brain or spinal cord tissue. See similar questions...

Smallpox is less contagious than chickenpox or measles. The great majority of people in a large room will become infected if even only one person has measles, whereas the highest risk for smallpox is face-to face contact, i.e. within 2 meters (6.5 feet). If there is personal protective equipment (fit-tested N-95 masks, gloves, etc.) on you and the patient, the risk of airborne spread becomes very low. See similar questions...

Yes, definitely. But they can't jump from head to head and they can't fly. The only way they can be transmitted is by direct contact (heads touching) or indirect contact (a hat passed around which has been worn by a person with headlice). See similar questions...

Nobody knows. Like many disabled people (but unlike typical sufferers from those diseases) she was a very productive worker, even when she was too ill to leave her bed. She must have suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), because of her terrible experiences of the war. This would have contributed to her disability. See similar questions...