# 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.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/medlineplus.gov/get-health-topic
- Method: `medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic`, version 1
- Website: medlineplus.gov
- Returns: title, other names, summary, causes, symptoms, exams and tests, treatment, prevention, when to contact a doctor, related topics, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `topic` | string | yes | `"shingles"` | Condition or symptom to look up, for example shingles or back pain. |
| `language` | string | no | `"spanish"` | Language of the overview, for example spanish. One of "english", "spanish". Default "english". |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "topic": "shingles",
  "language": "spanish"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "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."
}
```

## 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":"medlineplus.gov/get_health_topic","input":{"topic":"shingles","language":"spanish"}}'
```

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

- 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?

## Input schema

```json
{
  "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

```json
{
  "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."
    }
  }
}
```

## See more

- [MedlinePlus API: Explain a lab test](https://fous.com/methods/medlineplus.gov/explain-lab-test.md): Explains a MedlinePlus medical test: what it measures, why it is ordered, how it is done, preparation, risks, and what the results mean.
- [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.
- [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.
- [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.
- [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.
- [NIH API: Search PubMed articles](https://fous.com/methods/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search-articles.md): Finds PubMed medical and life-science articles by topic, with publication details and free full-text links when PubMed confirms them.
- [Britannica API: Get article](https://fous.com/methods/britannica.com/get-article.md): Finds the best-matching Britannica encyclopedia article for a topic and returns its introduction, quick facts, section headings, update date and main image.
- [CDC API: Get disease facts](https://fous.com/methods/cdc.gov/get-disease-facts.md): 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.
- [All MedlinePlus methods](https://fous.com/methods/medlineplus.gov.md)