Who Should Receive Them and When
The tetanus vaccine is used to preventtetanus.
It is given as a combination shot along with thediphtheriaandpertussis(whooping cough) vaccines.
Tetanusis abacterial infectionof the nervous system, also known aslockjaw.
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Symptoms include muscle stiffness, difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, and seizures.
Diphtheriais a bacterial infection that causes a thick covering on the back of the throat.
It can lead to breathing problems,heart failure, paralysis, and death.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Vaccination of diphtheria has all but eliminated the disease in the United States.
Pertussisis a bacterial infection also known as whooping cough.
It can cause severe coughing spells and vomiting as well as difficulty speaking and breathing.
Up to 5% of adolescents and adults who have pertussis either experience severe complications or are hospitalized.
ACIP recommends the following immunization schedule:
Can DTaP Cause Brain Disease?
Historically, there was concern that the pertussis vaccine could cause a brain disease calledencephalopathy.
Although evidence supported the possibility, this was never proven.
Furthermore, the risk was associated with the whole-cell pertussis vaccinenot the acellular pertussis vaccine used in DTaP.
It can also be used as a catch-up vaccination in kids who never got their primary series of shots.
It is given in a single dose in adults with no history of receiving Tdap.
In addition, all adults will need a booster shot every 10 years.
Tdap differs from DTaP in the size of the dose of each of the three vaccines.
With Tdap, the tetanus dose is the same as DTaP but the diphtheria and pertussis doses are smaller.
For clean and minor wounds, it would be given if it had been more than 10 years.
For all other wounds, it would be given if it had been more than five years.
The child would also have sub-optimal protection against whooping cough.
Many will have no side effects at all.
A booster of Tdap is given at age 11 to 12 and during each pregnancy.
Adults should receive a booster of Tdap or Td every 10 years.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tetanus: For clinicians.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diphtheria.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pertussis: Summary of vaccine recommendations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccination: What everyone should know.
