The TDAP vaccine is a combination booster injection. It protects preteen and older persons from three diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
Tetanus and diphtheria are rare in the United States today, but whooping cough continues to spread
Pertussis
Have you heard of whooping cough? Whooping cough or also known as “Pertussis” is caused by the Bardetella or Parapertussis bacteria. Whooping cough usually affects older persons and adolescents, but in some cases the disease can affect infants.
You should be more vigilant also because whooping cough is one type of disease that can be transmitted quickly when there is direct physical contact with people with this disease. Therefore, people who have a weak immune system can very easily contract whooping cough. One of them is your baby, he does not have a strong enough immune system, then your child will be very vulnerable to contracting this disease.
To prevent whooping cough disease the TDAP vaccine is highly recommended for your child. The TDAP vaccine provides protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
What is Diphtheria?
Diphtheria is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria, producing toxins (exotoxins) that can damage and kill healthy cells, attacking the heart, respiratory system, kidneys, and nervous system.
Tetanus
Tetanus doesn’t spread from person to person. These bacteria are usually found in soil, dust, and manure and enter the body through wounds on the skin.
Tetanus is often referred to as a locked jaw because the tightening jaw muscles are one of the most common signs of this infection.
Tetanus can cause serious health problems, including an inability to open the mouth and difficulty swallowing and breathing.
Currently, tetanus is rare in the United States, with an average of about 30 cases reported each year.
What is TDAP vaccine?
TDAP stands for tetanus (T), diphtheria, (D), and pertussis (aP). The TDAP vaccine was available in 2005 for children and older persons. Before 2005, there were no pertussis booster injections for anyone over the age of 6.
TDAP is different from the DTaP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough) given to infants and children in five doses, starting at 2 months of age. TDAP is only for those over 7 years old.
DTaP vaccine is one type of DPT immunization. This DTaP vaccine or TDaP vaccine has exactly the same components as a regular DPT vaccine, but the vaccine to prevent pertussis disease is acellular or has no cells.
Usually this vaccine is given when the child is 10-16 years old, and after that it will be repeated again every 10 years as a booster.
In addition, this vaccine can also be given to older persons who at a young age have never received the diphtheria vaccine and is also recommended for women who are pregnant especially when the pregnancy has entered the age of 27-36 weeks.
TDAP Vaccine Benefits
The benefit of this TDAP vaccine is that it can help to prevent the onset of diphtheria disease that can attack children as well as older persons and this TDAP vaccine is a type of vaccine that is given after doing several series of vaccines or can also be referred to as a follow-up vaccine.
This vaccine is highly recommended for pregnant women to prevent pregnant women from getting the TDAP virus and also to maintain immunity in pregnant women, because immunity in pregnant women over time will decrease.
TDAP Vaccine Side Effects
Side effects that occur after doing the TDAP vaccine is quite mild. Side effects that appear such as pain and also the occurrence of swelling in the injectable parts, redness, and also fever. But you do not need to worry because of the side effects that occur this will only last for 1-2 days.
Read also:
DTP Vaccine: Indication, Schedule, Dosage, and Side Effects
