Tdap
Background
- DTaP: High concentration diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis
- Tdap: High concentration tetanus, low concentration diphtheria and pertussis
- DT: High concentration diphtheria and tetanus
- dT: High concentration tetanus, low concentration diphtheria
Indications
Tetanus Vaccine Selection Guide
Age | If No Pertussis Contraindications | If Pertussis Contraindicated | Comments |
2mo - 7yrs | DTaP | DT | DT available from pharmacy |
7yrs - 10yrs | Td | Td | |
10yrs | Tdap(Adacel)^ | Td | ^Off label use, but appears safe and immunogenic |
11yrs - 16yrs | Tdap(Adacel) | Td | |
16yrs - 65 | Tdap(Adacel)^^ | Td | ^^Use Td if patient is known to have received prior Tdap |
65yrs + | Td |
Td |
Consider TIG for tetanus prone wound plus Td(tetanus immune globulin) |
Caveats
- Adolescents who have already gotten a booster dose of Td are encouraged to get a dose of Tdap as well. Waiting 5 years after their last Td is encouraged but not required. A period of at least 2 years between Td and Tdap is recommended in these cases.
- Pregnancy is not a contraindication to Tdap. The only true contraindication to tetanus immunization is a history of neurologic or severe hypersensitivity to a previous dose.
- Stable neurologic disorders and family history of vaccine reactions are not contraindications to receiving these vaccines.
- No vaccine has ever been shown to play any role in the development of autism or autism spectrum disorders.