February 15, 2006
Tdap is coming to town!
There’s a new vaccine in town and it is just waiting for your arm!
This vaccine has a familiar name and will be an added protection for people of all ages. It will replace a vaccine you usually receive as a booster shot every 10 years. Have you guessed what it is yet?
Tdap will replace Td (Tetanus shot) in 11-64 year olds.
Tdap is a vaccine that will protect you against Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis. Let’s break it down:
T — Tetanus is a serious disease that is also known as “lockjaw”. It is bacteria found in soil that enters the body through a cut or wound. The bacteria produce a toxin that causes muscles to contract so severely that bones and teeth can fracture or break.
D — Diphtheria is also a kind of bacteria. It causes a thick covering in the back of the throat. It is spread by person-to-person contact. Like Tetanus and Pertussis, complications of Diphtheria can lead to hospitalization and death.
P — Pertussis is also known as Whooping Cough. Pertussis is caused by bacteria and, like Diphtheria, is passed person to person. It can cause prolonged coughing that makes it difficult to drink, eat, or breathe.
Tdap is the vaccine that will protect adolescents and adults (11-64 years of age) from the three serious diseases described above: Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis.
There are two brands of Tdap that are licensed for use in the United States: Boostrix™ and Adacel™. Boostrix™ is available for 10-18 year old patients and Adacel™ can be used for patients 11-64 years old. Adacel™ is the brand that the State of Alaska will be providing for use here in the Yukon- Kuskokwim Delta Region. Providers at YKDRH and Community Health Aides and Practitioners will be giving Tdap (Td with Pertussis) to 11-12 year olds if it has been 5 years or more since the last Td/DTaP. Adolescents (teenagers) and adults 11-64 should receive 1 dose of Tdap (Adacel™) if it has been 10 years since the last Td.
Infants and children receive a vaccine called DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis). It is recommended that babies receive DTaP at 6 weeks (2 months), 4 months, and 6 months. They receive additional doses of DTaP at 12-15 months and at 4-6 years of age. The protection wanes over time, meaning that around age 11 years adolescents have lost most, if not all, of the protection that the DTaP gave them as children.
In 2005, Alaska saw over 85 cases of Pertussis. It is important for adolescents and adults to get the vaccine to protect themselves from these diseases. It is also important to get the vaccine because adolescents and adults can pass on the whooping cough to babies who are not immunized or who are only partially immunized.
Where can you get the vaccine? If you know you need a booster dose, call your village clinic for an appointment. If you live in Bethel, you can call scheduling at YKHC 543-6442 for an immunization appointment. Public Health Nursing can be reached at 543-2110. Bethel Family Clinic (543-3773) does have regular Td and may have Tdap in the near future.
Here are a few very reliable resources: www.cdc.gov/nip, www.immunize.org, and www.vaccine.chop.edu. You can also call YKHC Immunizations 543-6955.