# CDC API: Get disease facts

> Gets CDC facts about a disease by name, including symptoms, how it spreads, prevention, treatment and higher-risk groups when covered. A review date is returned only when CDC labels one.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by CDC.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/cdc.gov/get-disease-facts
- Method: `cdc.gov/get_disease_facts`, version 1
- Website: cdc.gov
- Returns: disease name, overview, symptoms, how it spreads, prevention, treatment, higher-risk groups, review date, CDC page link
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `disease` | string | yes | `"measles"` | Disease name in plain words, for example, measles or Lyme disease. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 31, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "disease": "measles"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "overview": "Some people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clear up in a few days. But measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old. Measles is highly contagious. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people who come into close contact with…",
  "symptoms": "Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. Common measles symptoms include: High fever (may spike to more than 104° F) Cough Runny nose (coryza) Red, watery eyes ( conjunctivitis or pink eye ) Rash Complications Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in ch…",
  "treatment": "There is no specific antiviral therapy that is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for treatment of measles. Medical care is generally supportive and helps to relieve symptoms. Complications such as pneumonia and secondary bacterial infections should be promptly managed under the supervision…",
  "prevention": "Protect yourself with the vaccine . The best way to protect against measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR is safe and effective – serious reactions are extremely rare. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective…",
  "disease_name": "Measles",
  "how_it_spreads": "Measles is very contagious. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. This can happen even up to 2 hours after that person has left.",
  "main_page_link": "https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/index.html",
  "who_is_at_higher_risk": "Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk. Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. However, since early 2025, U.S. measles cases have been increasing, and we've had several large outbreaks of more than 50 cases. Measles is also still common in many parts of the w…",
  "page_last_reviewed_date": null
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"cdc.gov/get_disease_facts","input":{"disease":"measles"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- What does the CDC say about measles symptoms and how it spreads?
- Look up dengue fever: who's most at risk, how to prevent it, and what treatment looks like
- I need official facts on Lyme disease, including symptoms and prevention tips, with a link to the source page
- How is hepatitis A transmitted and who's at higher risk? Pull the info from cdc.gov
- Give me an overview of whooping cough with symptoms, treatment, and when the info was last reviewed

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "disease"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "disease": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Disease name in plain words, for example, measles or Lyme disease."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "disease_name",
    "overview",
    "symptoms",
    "how_it_spreads",
    "prevention",
    "treatment",
    "who_is_at_higher_risk",
    "page_last_reviewed_date",
    "main_page_link"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "overview": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "What the disease is."
    },
    "symptoms": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Signs and symptoms."
    },
    "treatment": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Treatment information."
    },
    "prevention": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "How to prevent it."
    },
    "disease_name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The disease name used by CDC."
    },
    "how_it_spreads": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "How it spreads or is acquired."
    },
    "main_page_link": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The CDC disease facts page."
    },
    "who_is_at_higher_risk": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "People at higher risk when identified by CDC."
    },
    "page_last_reviewed_date": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Explicitly labeled review date in YYYY-MM-DD, if shown."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [CDC API: Get travel vaccines for a destination](https://fous.com/methods/cdc.gov/get-travel-vaccines.md): Gets CDC traveler vaccines, medicines, the routine vaccine reminder and malaria guidance for a destination country. Recommendations can vary by itinerary and traveler, so read the linked country page for details.
- [CDC API: List travel health notices](https://fous.com/methods/cdc.gov/list-travel-health-notices.md): Lists current CDC Travelers' Health notices, newest first, with destinations, levels, posted dates, travel advice and notice links. Filtering by country also matches destinations named in multi-country notices.
- [CDC API: Get vaccine schedule for an age](https://fous.com/methods/cdc.gov/get-vaccine-schedule.md): Lists the vaccines shown for an age on CDC's child and adolescent or adult immunization schedule, with timing, dose guidance and recommendation type.
- [Mayo Clinic API: Get condition overview](https://fous.com/methods/mayoclinic.org/get-condition.md): Finds a Mayo Clinic disease or condition page by name and returns its overview, symptoms, causes, when to see a doctor, risk factors, complications and prevention.
- [World Health Organization API: Get WHO fact sheet](https://fous.com/methods/who.int/get-fact-sheet.md): Finds a WHO fact sheet by health topic in the WHO fact-sheet directory. Returns its key facts, overview and sections in page order.
- [NHS API: Get guidance for a health condition](https://fous.com/methods/nhs.uk/get-condition.md): Gets NHS guidance for a named health condition, including symptoms, when to seek help, causes, treatment and prevention. Sections not shown on NHS pages are null; for conditions with several guidance pages, the review date is the latest among the pages used.
- [WebMD API: Get condition guide](https://fous.com/methods/webmd.com/get-condition.md): Finds WebMD's main guide for a condition through a Bing search. Returns its overview and its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and when-to-call-a-doctor sections.
- [MedlinePlus API: Get health topic](https://fous.com/methods/medlineplus.gov/get-health-topic.md): Looks up a MedlinePlus health topic for a condition or symptom and returns its overview, related topics, and encyclopedia sections when a matching article is linked.
- [All CDC methods](https://fous.com/methods/cdc.gov.md)