1 Why get vaccinated?

Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis are very seriousdiseases. Tdap vaccine can protect us from thesediseases. And, Tdap vaccine given to pregnant womencan protect newborn babies against pertussis.

TETANUS (Lockjaw) is rare in the United States today. It causes painful muscle tightening and stiffness, usually all over the body.

•  It can lead to tightening of muscles in the head and neck so you can’t open your mouth, swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Tetanus kills about 1 out of 10 people who are infected even after receiving the best medical care.

DIPHTHERIA is also rare in the United States today. It can cause a thick coating to form in the back of thethroat.

• It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis, and death.

PERTUSSIS (Whooping Cough) causes severe coughing spells, which can cause breathing, vomiting and disturbed sleep.

• It can also lead to weight loss, incontinence, andrib fractures. Up to 2 in 100 adolescents and 5 in100 adults with pertussis are hospitalized or have complications, which could include pneumonia or death.

These diseases are caused by bacteria. Diphtheria andpertussis are spread from person to person throughsecretions from coughing or sneezing. Tetanus enters thebody through cuts, scratches, or wounds.

Before vaccines, as many as 200,000 cases of diphtheria, 200,000 cases of pertussis, and hundreds of cases of tetanus, were reported in the United States each year. Since vaccination began, reports of cases for tetanus and diphtheria have dropped by about 99% and for pertussis by about 80%.

2 Tdap vaccine

Tdap vaccine can protect adolescents and adults fromtetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. One dose of Tdap isroutinely given at age 11 or 12. People who did not getTdap at that age should get it as soon as possible.

Tdap is especially important for healthcare professionalsand anyone having close contact with a baby youngerthan 12 months.

Pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during everypregnancy, to protect the newborn from pertussis.

Infants are most at risk for severe, life-threateningcomplications from pertussis.

Another vaccine, called Td, protects against tetanus anddiphtheria, but not pertussis. A Td booster should begiven every 10 years. Tdap may be given as one of these boosters if you have never gotten Tdap before. Tdapmay also be given after a severe cut or burn to preventtetanus infection.

Your doctor or the person giving you the vaccine cangive you more information.Tdap may safely be given at the same time as othervaccines.

3 Some people should not get this vaccine

• A person who has ever had a life-threatening allergicreaction after a previous dose of any diphtheria,tetanus or pertussis containing vaccine, OR has asevere allergy to any part of this vaccine, should notget Tdap vaccine. Tell the person giving the vaccineabout any severe allergies.
• Anyone who had coma or long repeated seizureswithin 7 days after a childhood dose of DTP or DTaP,or a previous dose of Tdap, should not get Tdap,unless a cause other than the vaccine was found. Theycan still get Td.
• Talk to your doctor if you:
  – have seizures or another nervous system problem,
  – had severe pain or swelling after any vaccine  containing diphtheria, tetanus or pertussis,
  – ever had a condition called Guillain-Barré Syndrome  (GBS),
  – aren’t feeling well on the day the shot is scheduled. 

4 Risks

With any medicine, including vaccines, there is a chance of side effects. These are usually mild and go away on their own. Serious reactions are also possible but are rare. Most people who get Tdap vaccine do not have any problems with it.

Mild problems following Tdap
(Did not interfere with activities)

• Pain where the shot was given (about 3 in 4 adolescents or 2 in 3 adults)
• Redness or swelling where the shot was given (about 1 person in 5)
• Mild fever of at least 100.4°F (up to about 1 in 25 adolescents or 1 in 100 adults)
• Headache (about 3 or 4 people in 10)
• Tiredness (about 1 person in 3 or 4)
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache (up to 1 in 4 adolescents or 1 in 10 adults)
• Chills, sore joints (about 1 person in 10)• Body aches (about 1 person in 3 or 4)
• Rash, swollen glands (uncommon)

Moderate problems following Tdap
(Interfered with activities, but did not require medical attention)

• Pain where the shot was given (up to 1 in 5 or 6)
• Redness or swelling where the shot was given (up toabout 1 in 16 adolescents or 1 in 12 adults)
• Fever over 102°F (about 1 in 100 adolescents or 1 in250 adults)
• Headache (about 1 in 7 adolescents or 1 in 10 adults)
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache (up to 1 or3 people in 100)
• Swelling of the entire arm where the shot was given(up to about 1 in 500).

Severe problems following Tdap
(Unable to perform usual activities; required medicalattention)

• Swelling, severe pain, bleeding and redness in the armwhere the shot was given (rare).

Problems that could happen after any vaccine:

• People sometimes faint after a medical procedure,including vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about15 minutes can help prevent fainting, and injuriescaused by a fall. Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy, orhave vision changes or ringing in the ears.
• Some people get severe pain in the shoulder and havedifficulty moving the arm where a shot was given. This happens very rarely.
• Any medication can cause a severe allergic reaction.Such reactions from a vaccine are very rare, estimatedat fewer than 1 in a million doses, and wouldhappen within a few minutes to a few hours after thevaccination.As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of avaccine causing a serious injury or death.The safety of vaccines is always being monitored. Formore information, visit: www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/

5 What if there is a serious problem?

What should I look for?

• Look for anything that concerns you, such as signs ofa severe allergic reaction, very high fever, or unusualbehavior.
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include hives,swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, afast heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness. These wouldusually start a few minutes to a few hours after thevaccination.

What should I do?

• If you think it is a severe allergic reaction or otheremergency that can’t wait, call 9-1-1 or get the personto the nearest hospital. Otherwise, call your doctor.
• Afterward, the reaction should be reported to theVaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).Your doctor might file this report, or you can do ityourself through the VAERS web site atwww.vaers.hhs.gov, or by calling 1-800-822-7967. VAERS does not give medical advice.

6 The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program(VICP) is a federal program that was created tocompensate people who may have been injured bycertain vaccines.Persons who believe they may have been injured by avaccine can learn about the program and about filing aclaim by calling 1-800-338-2382 or visiting the VICPwebsite at www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation. Thereis a time limit to file a claim for compensation.

7 How can I learn more?

• Ask your doctor. He or she can give you the vaccinepackage insert or suggest other sources of information.
• Call your local or state health department.
• Contact the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC):
  – Call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or
  – Visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines