Diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP, Tdap, Td)

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  • WHAT IT PROTECTS AGAINST

    • Diphtheria (severe respiratory illness)
    • Tetanus (severe muscle spasms)
    • Pertussis (whooping cough)

  • WHO IT’S FOR

    Infants, young children, adolescents, and adults

  • WHEN IT’S ROUTINELY GIVEN

    DTaP

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

    Tdap and Td

    • 7 years and older
    • Boosters are recommended every 10 years

  • BENEFITS

    • Protects against serious illness and complications of Diptheria like severe breathing problems, heart damage, nerve damage, death
    • Protects against serious symptoms and complications of Tetanus like severe muscle spasms, heart damage, death
    • Protects against serious illness and complications of Pertussis like uncontrollable coughing (whopping cough), vomiting, trouble breathing, Pneumonia and other serious complications in babies and young children
    • Prevents emergency room visits and hospital stays
    • Helps stop these diseases  from spreading to others

  • POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS

    • Soreness around injection site
    • Mild fever
    • Fussiness
    • Tiredness
    • Loss of appetite
    • Vomiting
    • Serious allergic reactions are rare

    Side effects from vaccines are usually mild and temporary. It’s always good to keep in mind that vaccine side effects are minor compared to the more severe health issues that can be caused if you get sick with the disease.

  • VACCINE PRODUCTS (available in the United States)

    • Daptacel – 5 dose series
    • Infanrix – 5 dose series

    Combination vaccines (protect against more than one disease):

    • Pediarix – DTaP, Hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTaP-HepB-IPV)
    • Pentacel – DTaP, inactivated poliovirus, and Haemophilus influenza type b vaccine (DTaP-IPV/Hib)
    • Kinrix / Quadracel – DTaP and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTaP-IPV)
    • Vaxelis – DTaP, inactivated poliovirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and Hepatitis B vaccine (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB)

  • COMMON QUESTIONS

    Why are all three diseases combined into one vaccine?

    Combination vaccines provide the same protection but with fewer pokes. Protection against these three diseases is  needed at the same times during childhood and for adults,  and the vaccines have been proven to work well together.