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Tetanus and diphtheria are serious diseases caused by bacteria.

Tetanus (lockjaw) causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to “locking” of the jaw so the victim cannot open the mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 out of 10 cases.

Diphtheria causes a thick coating in the nose, throat, and airways. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, or death.

Diphtheria is spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through a cut or wound.

The tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccine (also called Td) is used to help prevent these diseases in adults and children who are at least 7 years old.

This vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Like any vaccine, the tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

You should not receive this vaccine if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any vaccine containing diphtheria or tetanus, or if you have:severe or uncontrolled epilepsy or other seizure disorder; orif you have received cancer chemotherapy or radiation treatment in the past 3 months.

You may not be able to receive this vaccine if you have ever received a similar vaccine that caused any of the following:

a very high fever (over 104 degrees);a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain;fainting or going into shock;Guillain-Barré syndrome (within 6 weeks after receiving a diphtheria, tetanus, or pertussis vaccine);seizure (convulsions); ora severe skin reaction.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if you have:

a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising;a history of seizures;a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine);an allergy to latex rubber;a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; orif you are taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

FDA pregnancy category C. This vaccine may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before you have received the entire series of vaccines.It is not known whether this vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use receive the vaccine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.The adult version of this vaccine (Td) should not be given to anyone under the age of 7 years old. Another vaccine is available for use in younger children and infants.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Also tell the doctor if you have received drugs or treatments in the past 2 weeks that can weaken the immune system, including:

an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; ormedicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to receive the vaccine.

There may be other drugs that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you are using. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) into a muscle. You will receive this injection in a doctor’s office or other clinic setting.

The tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first shot is usually given to a person who is at least 7 years old. The booster shots are then given 4 to 8 weeks after the first shot, and 6 to 12 months after the second shot. After the initial series, a booster dose is given every 10 years.

A booster shot is also recommended in children who are 11 or 12 years old if more than 5 years have passed since the child’s last tetanus and diphtheria vaccine.

If it has been longer than 5 years since your last booster, you may need an emergency booster shot if you have been exposed to tetanus through a skin wound.

Your individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor’s instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor’s instructions about how much of this medicine to take.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring if you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

Any child who had a life-threatening allergic reaction after a dose of DTaP should not receive another dose.Any child who has had encephalitis (brain swelling) or a brain or nervous system disease within 7 days after a dose of DTaP should not receive another dose.

Before receiving DTaP vaccine, talk to your doctor if your child:

had a seizure or collapsed after a dose of DTaP;cried non-stop for 3 hours or more after a dose of DTaP;had a fever over 105 degrees after a dose of DTaP;developed Guillian-Barre syndrome within 6 weeks after a prior tetanus shot;has HIV or AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system;is taking a medication that affects the immune system (steroids, anti-rejection medications after a transplant);has a bleeding disorder or takes blood thinners (such as warfarin or Coumadin);has cancer; oris receiving cancer treatment with x-rays, radiation, or medication.

If the child has any of these conditions, he or she may not be able to receive DTaP.

Children with a cold or fever can still be vaccinated. Children who are moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover before getting DTaP vaccine.

FDA pregnancy category C: This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby and should not be given to a woman who is pregnant.

Before receiving the DTaP vaccine, tell the doctor if the child is using any of the following medications:an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;cancer chemotherapy or radiation;azathioprine (Imuran);basiliximab (Simulect);cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf);etanercept (Enbrel);leflunomide (Arava);muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone);mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept);sirolimus (Rapamune); ortacrolimus (Prograf).

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect the DTaP vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications the child uses. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors.

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are serious diseases caused by bacteria.

Diphtheria causes a thick coating in the nose, throat, and airway. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and even death.

Tetanus (lockjaw) causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to “locking” of the jaw so the victim cannot open his mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 out of 10 cases.

Pertussis (whooping cough) causes coughing so severe that it is hard for infants to eat, drink, or breathe. These spells can last for weeks. It can lead to pneumonia, seizures (convulsions), brain damage, and death.

Diphtheria and pertussis are spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds. Vaccines for these diseases expose the individual to a small amount of the bacteria, helping the body develop immunity to the disease.

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTaP) can help prevent these diseases. Most children who are vaccinated with DTaP will be protected throughout childhood.