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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffBefore antibiotics were available, diphtheria was a common illness in young children. Today, the disease is not only treatable but also preventable with a vaccine.
The diphtheria vaccine is usually combined with vaccines for tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis). Tetanus is a bacterial infection that leads to stiffness of the jaw and other muscles. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract. The three-in-one vaccine is known as the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, or DTaP, vaccine. The latest version of this immunization is known as the DTaP vaccine.
The diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine is one of the childhood immunizations that doctors in the United States recommend begin during infancy. The vaccine consists of a series of five shots, typically administered in the arm or thigh, and is given to children at ages:
- 2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 12 to 18 months
- 4 to 6 years
The diphtheria vaccine is very effective at preventing diphtheria. But there may be some side effects. Some children may experience a mild fever, fussiness, drowsiness or tenderness at the injection site after a DTaP shot. Ask your doctor what you can do for your child to minimize or relieve these effects.
Rarely, the DTaP vaccine causes serious complications in a child, such as an allergic reaction (hives or a rash develops within minutes of the injection), seizures or shock — complications which are treatable.
Some children — such as those with progressive brain disorders — may not be candidates for the DTaP vaccine. But, the number of children to whom these restrictions apply is small.
You can't get diphtheria from the vaccine.
Booster shots
After the initial series of immunizations in childhood, booster shots of the diphtheria vaccine are needed to help you maintain immunity. That's because immunity to diphtheria fades with time.
The first booster shot is needed around age 12, and then every 10 years after that — especially if you travel to an area where diphtheria is common. Ask your doctor whether you're up to date on your immunizations. Be sure your child is up to date on childhood vaccinations before starting child care or school.
A booster shot of the diphtheria vaccine is given in combination with a booster shot of the tetanus vaccine. The tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine is given by injection, usually into the arm or thigh.
Doctors recommend that anyone older than age 7 who has never been vaccinated against diphtheria receive three doses of the Td vaccine.
- Diphtheria. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs089/en/. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Diphtheria. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch172/ch172c.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Pegram PS. Epidemiology and clinical features of diphtheria. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Bortolussi R, et al. Aerobic gram-positive bacilli. In: Cohen J, et al. Cohen & Powderly: Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2004:2153.
- Daybell DK. Diagnosis and treatment of diphtheria. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through 6 years. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2009/09_0-6yrs_schedule_pr.pdf. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Vaccines and preventable diseases: Diphtheria vaccination. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/diphtheria/default.htm. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
