Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Tetanus - vaccine

Table of Contents

Instead of the standard Td booster every 10 years, adults between the ages of 19 and 65 should receive Tdap one time.

Tetanus vaccine (T vaccine) can be given as a single vaccine, but this is not generally available. It is also injected, usually into the arm.

Tetanus immune globulin is not actually a vaccine. It is a preparation that is made from serum (part of the blood) from a person or animal (such as a horse) that contains antibodies against tetanus.

It provides immediate, short-term protection against the disorder, but does not provide long-term immunization. It can be used when someone is believed to have been exposed to the bacteria -- such as when a person steps on a rusty nail or gets cut outdoors in a situation where soil may have entered the wound.

IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE

Tetanus vaccination is one of the recommended childhood immunizations and should begin during infancy. Tetanus immunization is generally required before starting school. Five doses of vaccine are recommended.

DTaP or DT immunization is usually a series of injections given to children at ages 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 15 to 18 months. A booster is given before starting school (age 4 to 6).

DTaP is recommended, unless there is a reason that the child should not receive the pertussis vaccine (such as allergic reaction), in which case the DT should be given.

After the initial series of immunizations, a booster of Td vaccine should be given at age 11 to 12 and every 10 years thereafter.

T vaccine or a Td booster may be given to an adult receiving care for a wound or injury that breaks the skin. Typically, a booster is given if the wound is dirty and the last Td booster was given more than 5 years prior to the injury.

BENEFITS

Nearly all people who receive a minimum of 3 injections of tetanus-containing vaccine will be protected against the disorder for at least 10 years.

DTaP and DT vaccine can be safely given to infants.

RISKS

It is much riskier to get tetanus than it is to get the vaccine. Mild reactions to DTaP are fairly common and include:

  • Slight fever (occurs in about 1 in 4 people)
  • Redness or swelling at the injection site (about 1 in 4)
  • Soreness or tenderness where the shot was given (about 1 in 4)
  • Fussiness (up to 1 in 3)
  • Tiredness or poor appetite (up to 1 in 10)
  • Swelling of the entire arm or leg where the shot was given for 1-7 days (about 1 in 30)
  • Vomiting (around 1 in 50)

Review Date: 08/18/2006
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)