Tetanus Vaccine

Tetanus, a disease brought on by the Clostridium tetani bacteria, can be avoided with the help of vaccines. Tetanus is prevented by the following four vaccines, all of which also offer protection from other diseases, which are now used in the United States:

• Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccines
• Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines
• Diphtheria and tetanus (DT) vaccines

Older kids and adults get Tdap and Td, while infants and kids under the age of seven get DTaP or DT.

The doctors advise tetanus vaccine for infants and all age groups. If you have concerns about tetanus shots, consult your doctor.

Vaccination Against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough

What Everyone Should Be Aware Of:

In the United States, vaccines against diphtheria and tetanus (DT, Td) sometimes include protection against whooping cough or pertussis (i.e., DTaP, Tdap).

Who Should Get Whooping Cough, Diphtheria, and Tetanus Vaccines?

The doctors recommends that everyone get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis).

If you have any questions about diphtheria, tetanus, or whooping cough vaccines, consult your doctor.

Babies and Children

Babies require three doses of DTaP to develop high levels of immunity against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. Then, to maintain that protection throughout early childhood, young children require two booster shots. The doctors recommends vaccinations at the following ages:

• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 15 through 18 months
• 4 through 6 years

Doctors can give DT instead of DTaP to children who should not receive whooping cough vaccines. Children who had a severe reaction to DTaP, for example, can be given DT. Children who get DT, on the other hand, will not be protected against whooping cough.

Preteens and Teenagers

To boost their immunity, preteens should receive one Tdap shot between the ages of 11 and 12. Teens who did not receive Tdap as a preteen should do so the next time they see their doctor.

Women who are Pregnant

Tdap should be given to pregnant women during the early stages of the third trimester. As a result, she protects her baby from whooping cough as soon as possible.

Adults

Tdap vaccinations should be given to all adults who have never had one. This can be provided at any time, regardless of when they last received Td. This should be followed by a Td or Tdap vaccination every ten years.

Who Should Not Have These Vaccinations?

Some people should avoid or postpone receiving certain vaccines due to age or medical conditions.

Td or DT

Inform the person providing the shot if you or your child:

• Has had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of any tetanus or diphtheria vaccine, or has any severe, deadly
• Has anyone who ever had Guillain-Barré syndrome (also known as "GBS")
• Has experienced severe pain or swelling following a previous dose of any tetanus or diphtheria vaccine.
• Does not feel well.

Children with minor illnesses, such as the common cold, may be immunized. Children who are moderately or severely ill should usually be vaccinated after they have recovered. More information can be obtained from your child's doctor.

DT only: At least 7 years old or older.

Doctors should not provide DT to anyone over the age of seven. Consult with your child's doctor about catching up on their immunization schedule.

Td only: 7 years old younger.

Doctors should not provide Td to children under the age of seven.

DTaP or Tdap

Inform the person providing the shot if you or your child:

• Has had an allergic reaction to any vaccine that protects against tetanus, diphtheria, or whooping cough in the past, or has any severe, deadly allergies.
• Has experienced a coma, reduced level of consciousness, or prolonged seizures within 7 days of receiving a previous dose of any whooping cough vaccine.
• Has a seizure or another problem with the nervous system.
• Has anyone experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• Has experienced severe pain or swelling following a previous dose of any tetanus or diphtheria vaccine.
• Is not feeling good
• Children with minor illnesses, such as the common cold, may be immunized. Children who are moderately or severely ill should usually be vaccinated after they have recovered. More information can be obtained from your child's doctor.

How Effective Are These Vaccines?

Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccines are effective, but their effectiveness varies depending on the disease. The effectiveness of these vaccines deteriorates over time.

Vaccines protect against:

• For about ten years, nearly everyone (97 out of 100) was protected against diphtheria.
• For about ten years, almost everyone who were immunized against tetanus.

According to studies, the whooping cough component works well for children who receive all five doses, DTaP fully protects:

• Almost all children (98 out of 100) died within a year of the last dose.
• Seven in ten children died five years after their last DTaP dose. The remaining 3 in 10 children are partially protected and are less likely to develop severe disease if they contract whooping cough.

According to studies, it shows how well the whooping cough component works, Tdap fully protects:

• Approximately 7 out of 10 people in the first year after receiving it.
• Three or four out of every ten people have it four years later.

According to studies on how well the whooping cough component works when pregnant women receive Tdap, the vaccine protects:

• More than three out of every four babies under the age of two months are susceptible to whooping cough.
• About 9 out of 10 babies suffer from whooping cough infections severe enough to necessitate hospitalization.

In Depth Information

Tetanus

In the late 1940s, the United States introduced the first tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccine into the routine childhood immunization schedule. States reported 500 to 600 cases per year at the time. Tetanus infections decreased steadily following the vaccination recommendation. Tetanus is now uncommon in the United States, with only about 30 cases reported each year. Almost all tetanus cases today are in people who never received a tetanus vaccine or did not receive a full course of tetanus vaccines, or in adults who did not receive their 10-year booster shots on time.

Diphtheria

Diphtheria was once a leading cause of childhood illness and death. In 1921, the United States recorded 206,000 cases of diphtheria, with 15,520 deaths. Diphtheria rates began to fall rapidly in the United States and other countries that began widely vaccinating in the 1920s. Diphtheria is now almost unheard of in the United States, thanks to the success of the immunization program. Countries reported over 22,900 cases to the World Health Organization in 2019, but many more cases are likely to go unreported.

Whooping Cough

Vaccines against whooping cough became widely available in the 1940s. Previously, each year in the United States, approximately 200,000 children became ill and approximately 9,000 died from whooping cough. Following the introduction of the vaccine, whooping cough cases reached an all-time low in the 1970s. There has been a slow but steady increase in reported whooping cough cases since then. This rise is most likely due to a combination of factors, including:

• Heightened awareness
• Diagnostic tests have been improved.
• Improved reporting
• Bacterial spread (circulation) increases.
• Current vaccines are causing waning immunity (when a vaccine does not provide long-term protection).

The bacteria that cause whooping cough are also constantly changing genetically. A study is being conducted to evaluate if any of the changes have an impact on public health. New research, however, suggests that whooping cough vaccines are still effective despite recent gene mutations.