MedlinePlus API: Get health topic
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.
Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MedlinePlus.
Inputs
Values from the run on Oct 23, 2026, shown under Output.
- Topic, required
topic Condition or symptom to look up, for example shingles or back pain.
shingles
- Language optional
language Language of the overview, for example spanish.
spanish
One of
english,spanish. Defaultenglish.
Input as JSON
{ "topic": "shingles", "language": "spanish"}Output
{ "title": "Culebrilla (herpes zóster)", "causes": "Después de que usted contrae varicela, su cuerpo no se deshace del virus. En cambio, el virus permanece en el cuerpo pero está inactivo (se vuelve latente) en ciertos nervios del cuerpo. La culebrilla ocurre cuando el virus se reactiva en estos nervios, a menudo después de muchos años. Muchas person…", "summary": "¿Qué es la culebrilla? La culebrilla o herpes zóster es una infección que causa una dolorosa erupción. Es causada por el virus de la varicela-zoster, el mismo que causa la varicela. Después de tener varicela, el virus permanece en su cuerpo. Puede que no cause problemas por muchos años, pero a medid…", "symptoms": "El primer síntoma generalmente es un dolor en un solo lado, hormigueo o ardor. El dolor y el ardor pueden ser intensos y generalmente se presentan antes de que aparezca cualquier erupción. En la mayoría de las personas, se forman parches en la piel, seguidos de pequeñas ampollas. Las ampollas se rom…", "page_link": "https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/shingles.html" , "treatment": "Su proveedor puede recetar un medicamento que combate el virus, llamado antiviral. Este medicamento ayuda a disminuir el dolor, prevenir complicaciones y acortar el curso de la enfermedad. Los medicamentos son más efectivos cuando se inician dentro de las 72 horas después de sentir por primera vez e…", "prevention": "Evite el contacto con erupciones cutáneas y ampollas de gente con culebrilla o varicela si nunca ha sufrido de varicela o no ha recibido la vacuna contra esta enfermedad. La vacuna contra la culebrilla es diferente de la vacuna contra la varicela. Los adultos mayores que reciben la vacuna contra la …", "other_names": [ "Herpes zoster" ], "related_topics": [ { "link": "https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/chickenpox.html" , "name": "Varicela" } ], "exams_and_tests": "Su proveedor de atención médica puede hacer el diagnóstico al examinar la piel y hacer preguntas acerca de la historia clínica. En muy pocas ocasiones se necesitan exámenes, pero estos pueden incluir la toma de una muestra de piel para ver si está infectada con el virus. Los exámenes de sangre puede…", "when_to_contact_a_doctor": "Contacte a su proveedor si tiene síntomas de culebrilla, particularmente si tiene un sistema inmunitario debilitado o si los síntomas persisten o empeoran. La culebrilla que afecta el ojo puede llevar a ceguera permanente si uno no recibe cuidados médicos urgentes."}Code
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"method":"medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic","input":{"topic":"shingles","language":"spanish"}}' # Save as fous.py, then run: python3 fous.pyimport json, os, timefrom urllib.error import HTTPErrorfrom urllib.request import Request, urlopenAPI = "https://api.fous.com/v1/runs" KEY = os.environ["FOUS_API_KEY"]HEADERS = { "Authorization": f"Bearer {KEY}", "Content-Type": "application/json" ,}def call(url, body=None): data = json.dumps(body).encode() if body else None request = Request(url, data, HEADERS) try: with urlopen(request, timeout=120) as r: return r.status, json.load(r) except HTTPError as error: message = json.load(error)["error"]["message"] raise RuntimeError(message) from errorstatus, run = call(API, { "method": "medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic" , "input": { "topic": "shingles", "language": "spanish" }})# 202: still going after 30 s. Ask again until it ends.while status == 202: time.sleep(2) status, run = call(f"{API}/{run['id']}")print(json.dumps(run["data"], indent=2))// Save as fous.mjs, then run: node fous.mjsconst api = "https://api.fous.com/v1/runs" ;const headers = { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.FOUS_API_KEY}`, "Content-Type": "application/json" ,};let response = await fetch(api, { method: "POST", headers, body: JSON.stringify({ "method": "medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic" , "input": { "topic": "shingles", "language": "spanish" } }), signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),});let run = await response.json();// 202: still going after 30 s. Ask again until it ends.while (response.status === 202) { await new Promise((done) => setTimeout(done, 2_000)); response = await fetch(`${api}/${run.id}`, { headers }); run = await response.json();}if (!response.ok) throw new Error(run.error.message);console.log(run.data);# Connect your agent to Fous once, over MCP (Streamable HTTP):# https://api.fous.com/mcp# Set FOUS_API_KEY first: create a key at https://app.fous.com/keys.# Claude Codeclaude mcp add \ --scope user \ --transport http fous https://api.fous.com/mcp \ --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"# Codexcodex mcp add fous \ --url https://api.fous.com/mcp \ --bearer-token-env-var FOUS_API_KEY# Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Cline and morenpx -y add-mcp https://api.fous.com/mcp -g -n fous \ --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"# Then ask your agent:# "Use Fous to run medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic# with {"topic":"shingles","language":"spanish"}"Over HTTP, the answer’s data holds the output. A run still going after 30 seconds answers 202 with its id: ask GET /v1/runs/{id} until it ends.
Schema
Input schema
{ "type": "object", "required": [ "topic" ], "properties": { "topic": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "description": "Condition or symptom to look up, for example shingles or back pain." }, "language": { "enum": [ "english", "spanish" ], "type": "string", "default": "english", "description": "Language of the overview, for example spanish." } }}Output schema
{ "type": "object", "required": [ "title", "other_names", "summary", "causes", "symptoms", "exams_and_tests", "treatment", "prevention", "when_to_contact_a_doctor", "related_topics", "page_link" ], "properties": { "title": { "type": "string", "description": "MedlinePlus topic title." }, "causes": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Causes from a matching medical encyclopedia article." }, "summary": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Plain-text health topic overview." }, "symptoms": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Symptoms from a matching medical encyclopedia article." }, "page_link": { "type": "string", "description": "MedlinePlus health topic page." }, "treatment": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Treatment from a matching medical encyclopedia article." }, "prevention": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Prevention from a matching medical encyclopedia article." }, "other_names": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Other names of the health topic." }, "related_topics": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "object", "required": [ "name", "link" ], "properties": { "link": { "type": "string" }, "name": { "type": "string" } } }, "description": "Related MedlinePlus health topics." }, "exams_and_tests": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Exams and tests from a matching medical encyclopedia article." }, "when_to_contact_a_doctor": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "When to contact a medical professional from a matching medical encyclopedia article." } }}- Price
- 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free.
- Method
medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic- Returns
- title, other names, summary, causes, symptoms, exams and tests, treatment, prevention, when to contact a doctor, related topics, page link
Use it from your agent
Give your agent this line. It reads SKILL.md, gets a Fous API key and connects the Fous MCP server. Its run then takes the method medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic with the inputs above.
Ask your agent
- Can you pull up the MedlinePlus overview for shingles, including symptoms and treatment?
- I keep getting migraines behind one eye. What does MedlinePlus say about that, and when should I see a doctor?
- Look up the health topic for iron deficiency anemia and give me its other names and related topics.
- Necesito la información de MedlinePlus sobre la diabetes tipo 2 en español, incluyendo prevención.
- What does medlineplus.gov list as causes and exams and tests for chest pain?
See more
All MedlinePlus methodsExplains a MedlinePlus medical test: what it measures, why it is ordered, how it is done, preparation, risks, and what the results mean.
medlineplus.gov/explain_lab_testFinds 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.
webmd.com/get_conditionFinds 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.
mayoclinic.org/get_conditionGets 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.
nhs.uk/get_conditionFinds a WHO fact sheet by health topic in the WHO fact-sheet directory. Returns its key facts, overview and sections in page order.
who.int/get_fact_sheetFinds PubMed medical and life-science articles by topic, with publication details and free full-text links when PubMed confirms them.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search_articlesFinds the best-matching Britannica encyclopedia article for a topic and returns its introduction, quick facts, section headings, update date and main image.
britannica.com/get_articleGets 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.
cdc.gov/get_disease_facts