To decide if you need a tetanus shot, first decide if the object that caused the wound was clean or dirty. If an object is dirty, it will have dirt, soil, spit, or feces on it.
You did not get the first series of tetanus shots primary vaccination series. Ideally, the TdaP vaccine should be given initially in several doses: two, four, and six months after birth. Another dose should be given when the baby is between 15 — 18 months old, 4 — 6 years old, and at 11 — 12 years of age.
Starting at age 19, you should get a Td booster shot every ten years. Women who are pregnant should get a TdaP vaccine during their third trimester, so their baby has protection almost immediately after birth from whooping cough, which is common in newborns.
Patients who visit University Urgent Care for a tetanus shot first receive a physical exam to check their overall health.
After discussing your medical history, including any previous vaccinations and allergies, we can determine if you are a candidate for the shot. If you are, we will administer the shot after sterilizing your skin at the injection site. After getting your tetanus shot, look for signs of an allergic reaction, including hives, swelling of the throat or face, trouble breathing, high fever, increased heart rate, dizziness, or weakness. Usually it enters the body through contaminated breaks in the skin — stepping on a nail that has the bacteria on it, for example.
There are about 30 reported cases of tetanus in the US each year. These cases almost always occur in adult patients who have never received a tetanus vaccine, or adults who have not been up to date on their year booster shots. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by a type of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Diphtheria can cause a thick covering on the back of the throat and may lead to difficulty breathing, paralysis, or death. It typically spreads person-to-person. There have been fewer than five cases reported to the CDC in the past 10 years.
Adolescents and adults receive either the Td or Tdap vaccines. Injury or wound management and pregnancy may affect this schedule. A recent paper published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases suggested that tetanus and diphtheria booster vaccines are not necessary for adults who have completed their childhood vaccination series.
The researchers reviewed WHO data from 31 North American and European countries between and , amounting to 11 billion person-years. Person-years is a measurement that reflects the number of people in the study multiplied by years followed. After comparing the incidence of tetanus and diphtheria, they found no significant difference in disease rates in countries that require adults to receive booster shots compared with those that do not. Based on this, the authors suggest that childhood vaccination alone protects sufficiently against tetanus and diphtheria without booster shots.
The question of whether to have ongoing booster vaccines is more complicated than looking at frequency of a disease. The conclusions of this study focus on the lack of change in tetanus or diphtheria incidence rates among countries that routinely vaccinate children.
However, other factors influence the number of cases, such as the overall amount of the bacteria in the environment, or wound management and hygiene measures.
Immunity from antibodies to tetanus and diphtheria may persist for many years. Over time, though, antibody levels decrease. We know that even if antibodies are present, low levels may not always be protective. Even though this study was well executed and raises some important questions, further studies are needed to examine whether a childhood vaccination series offers lifelong protection without repeated adult boosters.
Even though it happens rarely, people can still get tetanus and experience serious or deadly effects. There is no cure for tetanus, and no definitive proof that you will have lifelong immunity with childhood vaccinations alone. So for now, the CDC continues to recommend booster vaccines every 10 years to help your immune system protect against these infections. If you have questions about the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine, talk to your doctor. This is called the primary vaccination series.
Tdap tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. This is the first booster shot for tetanus and one dose is given to all preteens at age 11 or All teens and adults who never got the Tdap shot need one dose in place of a Td tetanus and diphtheria shot.
And all pregnant women need a Tdap shot during each pregnancy. Tdap helps protect against whooping cough pertussis. Td tetanus and diphtheria vaccine. This vaccine is given as a booster shot every 10 years. Why is it important to prevent tetanus? How can I tell if I need a tetanus shot? You will need a tetanus shot if: Your wound was caused by something that was clean and your last tetanus shot was longer than 10 years ago.
Your wound was caused by something that was dirty and your last tetanus shot was longer than 5 years ago. You are not sure if your wound was caused by something clean or dirty and your last tetanus shot was longer than 5 years ago.
You are not sure when you had your last tetanus shot. You did not get the first series of tetanus shots primary vaccination series.
If you need a tetanus shot, call your doctor to arrange for a shot. What should I do if I have a reaction to a tetanus shot? Home treatment can help reduce the discomfort. Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine for pain and fever, such as acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID. Be safe with medicines.
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