Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis (DTaP)
How do I prevent Diphtheria / Tetanus and Pertussis?
The best way to prevent Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis is to get vaccinated with the DTaP vaccine. It is given to children at 2,4 and 6 months of age. Adolescents and adults who aren’t immunized should get the Tdap vaccine and then get a booster shot every 10 years.
Diphtheria
What is diphtheria?
The “D” in DTaP stands for diphtheria. Diphtheria is caused by a bacterium that typically infects children and adolescents.
The bacterium causes a thick coating on the back of the throat that makes it difficult to swallow and breathe. Also, the bacterium makes a harmful protein (toxin) that can invade the heart, kidneys and nervous system. About 1 of every 20 children infected with diphtheria dies from suffocation, hearth failure or paralysis.
Diphtheria is very contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing.
What are symptoms of Diphtheria?
Symptoms include fever, sore throat, swelling of the neck glands, and a thick coating in the throat or back of the nose that makes it hard to swallow or breathe.
What is my child’s risk of getting diphtheria?
Although few children in the United States get diphtheria each year, the disease is not controlled in other parts of the world, so it could easily re-emerge if immunization rates drop.
Does the diphtheria vaccine cause any reactions?
Some children given the diphtheria vaccine will develop local reactions like pain, redness or tenderness at the site of the injection.
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
What is tetanus?
The “T” in DTaP stands for tetanus. Tetanus is a serious disease of the nervous system caused by a toxin-producing bacterium. The tetanus bacterium makes a toxin that causes severe and painful spasms of the muscles, including the muscles of the jaw (tetanus is referred to as ‘lockjaw’).
Sometimes tetanus can be fatal. Muscle spasms of the throat can block the windpipe and cause instant death from suffocation. Also, the tetanus toxin can cause severe and permanent damage to the heart. About 3 of every 10 people who get tetanus die from the disease. There is no cure for tetanus. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and complications until the effects of the tetanus toxin resolve.
The bacterium that causes tetanus is called Clostridium tetani. The bacterium can survive in a dormant state in soil and animal feces. It’s essentially shut down until it discovers a place to thrive. When the dormant bacteria enter a wound — a condition good for growth — the cells are “awakened.” As they are growing and dividing, they release a toxin called tetanospasmin. The toxin impairs the nerves in the body that control muscles.
What is my child’s risk of getting tetanus?
Because of the widespread use of vaccines, cases of tetanus are rare in the United States and other parts of the developed world. The disease remains a threat to people who aren’t up to date on their vaccinations.
How often is the tetanus vaccine given?
Because immunity of tetanus fades, it is recommended that children and adults receive the tetanus vaccine every 10 years. However, if your child gets a deep puncture and has not received a tetanus shot within 5 years, a booster dose is recommended.
Does the tetanus vaccine cause any reactions?
Some children will develop local reactions like pain, redness or tenderness at the site of the injection. The tetanus vaccine can also rarely cause a severe hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction.
The tetanus vaccine is also a very rare cause of painful swelling or the arm beginning several hours after injection – this reaction occurs primarily in adults who have received many doses of the tetanus vaccine.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
What is pertussis?
The “P” in DTaP is for pertussis. Pertussis is a bacterium that infects infants, children, adolescents and adults.
Pertussis bacteria make several toxins that cause children to develop, thick, sticky mucus that clogs the windpipe and causes painful spasms of coughing. When the child breathes in against the narrow windpipe, it causes a whooping sound – pertussis is also known as “whooping cough”. Coughing spasms make it difficult for children to breathe, eat or drink.
Pertussis bacteria can also cause pneumonia, seizures and permanent brain damage.
How does pertussis spread?
The bacteria that cause pertussis is found in the fluids from the nose and mouth of an infected person. You can get pertussis by breathing in these droplets, or by touching the fluid and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Every year in the United States tens of thousands of cases of pertussis are reported and several people die from the disease. Most of these deaths occur in young infants who are unable to breathe during the severe coughing spasms.
Unfortunately, most cases of pertussis are not reported. It is estimated that about 5% of adults with a cough lasting longer than five days are infected with pertussis. This means that hundreds of thousands of teenagers and adults get pertussis every year, and young children usually catch pertussis from adults who are coughing.
Therefore, children who are not immunized against pertussis are at a high risk of getting infected.
What are the symptoms of pertussis?
After exposure to the bacteria, it usually takes 7-10 days to develop symptoms, but it can take as long as 21 days.
The two main symptoms include severe cough for one to two weeks and a whooping sound when breathing in after coughing.
Other symptoms include vomiting during or after coughing, difficulty sleeping, and feeling very tired after a coughing fit. The face of lips may look blue from lack of oxygen.
Pertussis is a very contagious respiratory illness that mainly affects infants and young children. It can last up to 10 weeks and can lead to pneumonia and other complications.
When is the vaccine given?
DtaP is given in 4 doses in the first 2 years of life. Because immunity to pertussis fades, a vaccine called Tdap is recommended for adolescents 11-12 years of age and for adults who didn’t receive it during adolescence. This vaccine is also recommended during every pregnancy (between 27-36 weeks of gestation), so maternal antibodies can protect newborns from pertussis until they can develop immunity from their own vaccinations.
Does the pertussis vaccine cause any reactions?
Some children will develop local reactions like pain, redness, tenderness or swelling at the site of the injection. Mild reactions such as fever, drowsiness and fretfulness can also occur.
The pertussis vaccine can also cause more serious reactions, such as high fever, inconsolable crying lasting for more than three hours, and severe listlessness and lethargy. All these severe reactions are very rare (occurring in only about 1 child out of 10,000 doses administered), and although scary, they do not cause permanent harm.