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.

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.

Research shows that Parkinson's is not fatal. A recent study, however, indicates that "mortality is two to five times as high among affected persons as among age-matched controls resulting in a marked reduction in life expectancy." (Lang, A.E. & Lozano, A.M. Medical progress: Parkinson's Disease; First of two parts; New England Journal of Medicine, 1998; 339:1044-1063.)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Parkinson's is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system that may lead to tremors, rigidity, slowness of movements, gait disorder and a loss of balance. It's important to know that every case is different and that not all people with Parkinson's will experience all symptoms. There is an area of the brain called the substantia nigra that contains specialized cells that produce dopamine, a chemical that allows the smooth transition of nerve impulses among nerve cells.

Research to date has not been able to identify the exact cause of this condition. There is evidence to suggest that some people may have a genetic predisposition to Parkinson's, but there is no clear evidence to suggest that it is hereditary. Other risk factors that have been identified are head injury, direct occupational pesticide exposure and the age-related loss of brain cells that transmit nerve impulses. Despite popular belief, Parkinson's is not found only in the elderly.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that results from degeneration of neurons (nerve cells) in a region of the brain that controls movement. This degeneration creates a shortage of the brain-signaling chemical (neurotransmitter) known as dopamine, causing the impaired movements that characterize the disease.

Yes, some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as things like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Lupus is not contagious and it is not cancer. You cannot "catch" lupus, or give it to another person.

The flu virus becomes contagious one day before you feel sick. The virus enters through your nose, throat, or lungs from the air. It then begins to multiply, usually causing symptoms within a day or two. Children, on the other hand, can pass the virus on for more than a week. You can contract the flu if you touch a surface that has the flu virus on it and then touch your nose or mouth.