All about diphtheria and tetanus vaccination

In what cases is it necessary to be vaccinated against diphtheria?

After vaccination against diphtheria, immunity lasts for ten years. In this regard, doctors recommend repeated administration of the vaccine every ten years. Therefore, if a person was injected with the last dose at the age of 16, but is now 30 years old, this does not mean at all that he has retained immunity from this disease.

According to the vaccination calendar, vaccination against diphtheria is carried out for children aged 2, 4, 6, 18 months, 6 and 16 years. Revaccination is carried out every 10 years. If a person has never been vaccinated at all, then it is necessary to receive at least 3 vaccinations - first the first dose, then a month later the second and six months later the third.

Until the age of 66, doctors strongly recommend not skipping routine vaccinations. It is better to carry out vaccination in advance to prevent outbreaks of epidemics and not to become infected with a dangerous disease. After the injection, the immune system will begin to produce antibodies, which, if a diphtheria bacillus enters the body, will instantly destroy it and protect it from infection.

Vaccination

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Vaccinations

Every sane parent is very sensitive to the health of the child, trying to protect against dangerous infections and build a strong immune system - as a guarantee of a healthy life.

In the modern world, vaccination is the basis for the prevention of a number of serious diseases that are dangerous due to their serious complications. Active immunity after vaccination lasts for several years in those vaccinated against measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B or for several months in those vaccinated, for example, against influenza, and with timely revaccination it can last a lifetime.

The increase in the range of vaccines has made it possible to significantly expand the possibilities of preventing infections in children with chronic diseases and immune disorders, and also provided the possibility of their combined use. In addition to the fact that the administration of combined vaccines creates no less strong immunity, it also reduces the number of injections (and this procedure is unpleasant for the child) and the number of visits to medical institutions.

Unfortunately, a single vaccination is not capable of preparing the immune system for complete, reliable and long-term protection, so vaccinations against a number of infections have to be carried out 2 or 3 times. And timely revaccination - a necessary procedure for strengthening and maintaining immunity - will create strong and reliable protection.

Thus, vaccination is a very important event - after all, its goal is to create immunity to infectious diseases.

In our country, relying on the experience of many years of observation, taking into account the level of development of modern medicine and the quality of vaccines, a calendar of preventive vaccinations has been developed, which provides vaccination against major dangerous infections. In addition, as an alternative, you can additionally protect the child from a number of diseases - for example, from influenza, chicken pox, hepatitis A, tick-borne encephalitis, meningococcal infection.

For the first time, a mother is faced with the question of vaccinating a newborn child in the maternity hospital - this is a hepatitis B vaccination, which is given to the baby in the first hours of his life. What kind of disease is this and why is it so dangerous?

Hepatitis B

– an infectious viral disease that primarily affects liver cells, prone to a protracted and chronic course with the formation of such serious complications as cirrhosis and liver cancer. In rare cases, the disease can occur at lightning speed, with an unfavorable outcome.

For prevention, 3-fold vaccination is necessary.

The vaccination schedule also includes vaccination against diphtheria.

Diphtheria

– an acute infectious disease characterized by symptoms of intoxication, membranous sore throat, inflammation of the larynx with the development of croup. The disease can occur in toxic, fulminant and severe forms with the formation of complications from the heart, kidneys, and nervous system.

Prevention begins at 3 months of age, vaccinating the child 3 times with an interval of 45 days between vaccinations, followed by revaccination at 18 months and further age-related revaccinations at 7 years, 14 years and in adults every 10 years from the date of the last revaccination.

Usually, vaccination against diphtheria is combined with vaccination against whooping cough and tetanus. What health risks do these infections pose?

Whooping cough

– an infectious disease caused by bacteria that produce toxins that irritate the cough and respiratory centers. The disease is characterized by a cyclical, protracted course and the presence of a peculiar convulsive paroxysmal cough. The course can be accompanied by serious complications, such as: damage to the lungs, heart, hemorrhages under the skin and mucous membranes, the development of hypoxia and damage to the nervous system.

Prevention consists of 3-fold vaccination with an interval between vaccinations of 45 days, starting from the age of 3 months. Revaccination once at the age of 18 months.

Tetanus

– an acute infectious disease characterized by damage to the central nervous system, causing the development of convulsions and suffocation.

The preventive vaccination and revaccination scheme is identical to that for diphtheria.

In addition to the listed infections, the preventive vaccination calendar includes vaccination against polio.

Polio

– is insidious due to the development of lesions of the nervous system (flaccid paralysis and paresis), a long and protracted course with the possibility of disability.

The polio vaccine is first recommended to be administered at 3 months of age (together with vaccines against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus) also 3 times with an interval of 45 days between vaccinations, with revaccination at 18 months, 20 months and 14 years.

How does a child risk such viral diseases as measles, rubella and mumps? And why was vaccination against them also included in the vaccination calendar?

Measles

– an acute viral infection, often accompanied by fever, the appearance of a characteristic rash, symptoms of intoxication, damage to the respiratory tract, mouth and eyes. Measles is dangerous due to the development of complications from the respiratory system, nervous system and the addition of secondary infections against a weakened background.

Rubella

– is especially dangerous for pregnant women due to the formation of fetal malformations (eye damage, glaucoma, congenital heart defects, brain defects).

Mumps

– a viral disease that affects the glandular organs (salivary glands, pancreas, testicles in boys) and the nervous system (mumps meningitis). Complications of mumps can include diabetes and male infertility.

In order to protect your baby from measles, rubella and mumps, it is enough to get one vaccination at 12 months and revaccination at 6 years.

To keep your baby healthy and create strong immunity against dangerous infections, we suggest using the services of the Children's Children's Center for vaccination of children under 18 years of age.
The VDC uses modern, reliable, high-quality and well-proven vaccines. When vaccinating, the individual health characteristics of each child and the tolerance of certain vaccinations are taken into account. Qualified specialists will help you create an individual vaccination schedule, taking into account your child’s health condition. View prices for vaccinations ›

Why is diphtheria dangerous?

Diphtheria is a severe infectious disease that is provoked by the diphtheria bacillus, which is transmitted from a carrier to a healthy person by airborne droplets, less often by household contact. Most often, the infection affects the laryngeal mucosa. The bacterium enters the body through the mouth and nose and multiplies rapidly there, causing acute symptoms. The incubation period lasts on average 2–7 days. At the initial stage of development, diphtheria can be confused with an acute respiratory disease, the characteristic symptoms of which are:

• a sharp increase in body temperature;
• general deterioration of health;
• muscle aches.

After 2–3 days, the surface of the tonsils becomes covered with a thick white coating, which soon becomes denser, with a grayish tint. The patient is getting worse, has a constant severe pain in the throat, and it becomes impossible to swallow. Distinctive signs of diphtheria are the absence of a runny nose, cough, and excessive lacrimation, which is often observed in acute respiratory diseases.

After a few days, the patient's condition stabilizes. Plaque from the tonsils disappears, body temperature normalizes, and the sore throat ceases to bother you. But it is worth remembering that the danger to the health and life of the sick person still remains. The fact is that the body still contains diphtheria toxin, which negatively affects the condition and functioning of internal organs, such as:

• kidneys;
• liver;
• heart;
• brain.

The danger of diphtheria lies in the fact that if it is treated incorrectly, there is a high risk of developing such severe complications:

• Myocarditis. Inflammation of the heart muscle, accompanied by necrosis of cardiomyocytes.
• Heart rhythm disturbance.
• Damage to cranial and peripheral nerve fibers, manifested by paralysis of accommodation, strabismus, paresis of the upper or lower extremities. In severe cases, paralysis of the respiratory muscles and diaphragm can occur, which leads to suffocation and death of the patient.
• Acute renal and liver failure.
• Violation of intracerebral circulation.
• Brain swelling.
• Violation of the blood coagulation system.
• Peritonsillar abscess.
• Otitis
• Pneumonia.

The causative agent of diphtheria. Methods of transmission

The causative agent of diphtheria is the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria, which was first discovered and described by Edwin Klebs in 1883. The diphtheria bacillus is quite resistant to external factors. She can live for weeks: in saliva and water - two, in milk - three, in dust - up to five. Of particular danger to humans is its toxin, to which almost all organs of the human body are sensitive, but most of all the heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, and nervous system. The poison blocks protein synthesis in cells, which causes dangerous functional and structural changes that lead to death. The toxin acts both locally and systemically if it enters the blood and lymph. In severe cases, it can cause myocarditis or peripheral neuropathy, but most often the patient has trouble breathing due to the accumulation of dead tissue in the throat and tonsils.

The diphtheria bacillus is transmitted from an infected person in different ways:

• airborne;
• contact-household (this method of transmission is more common in hot countries where the cutaneous form of diphtheria is present; in temperate latitudes it is extremely rare);
• through food.

The more pronounced the course of the disease, the more bacteria the patient releases into the environment. But infection is also possible from a completely healthy person who is a carrier of the pathogen. However, the contagiousness of diphtheria is not as high as, for example, measles. Out of ten people in contact with the patient, only one or two can become infected.

Diphtheria has the following periods:

• incubation (2-10 days);
• the height of the illness;
• recovery (in the absence of treatment, death cannot be ruled out).

How is the vaccination procedure performed?

You can get vaccinated against diphtheria in a municipal or private medical institution by contacting your local physician or family doctor. The specialist will conduct a general examination, ask about your well-being, recent illnesses, measure your body temperature and, if there are no contraindications to vaccination, give a referral for vaccination. It is necessary to inform the doctor if the patient has the following disorders:

• allergies to certain drugs and foods;
• negative reaction of the body to previous vaccinations;
• severe pathologies of the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver.

Before administering the injection, it is recommended to check the expiration date of the vaccine, the production batch, and carefully inspect the ampoule for damage and other signs indicating the unsuitability of the drug.

To immunize adult patients, complex drugs are most often used that will help prevent the development of not only diphtheria, but also other dangerous infectious diseases. These include:

• ADS-M Anatoxin;
• Imovax DT Adult;
• Tetrakok.

The first two drugs contain tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, and the Tetracok vaccine protects against diphtheria and polio. Sometimes they resort to using the AD-M Anatoxin vaccine, which promotes the production of protective antibodies only against the diphtheria bacillus.

The drug is injected intramuscularly. For adults, the vaccine is administered under the shoulder blade, shoulder, or outer thigh. According to the vaccination calendar, the first vaccination is given in childhood. But if a person missed scheduled vaccinations for some reason before reaching adulthood, at an older age they must be completed as soon as possible.

To prevent post-vaccination complications associated with increased stress on the immune system, doctors advise properly preparing for vaccination. The preparation rules are simple:

• 1 – 2 weeks before the procedure, include foods rich in vitamins and other useful elements in your diet.
• Limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages, try to smoke as little as possible.
• Reduce physical and psycho-emotional stress.

It is necessary to follow medical recommendations even after vaccination, since after the administration of a drug that contains toxoids, the body’s protective functions are reduced. In the first 5–7 days after vaccination it is not advisable to:

• Visit places with large crowds of people.
• Consume fatty, spicy, salty foods, as well as exotic fruits and sweets that can cause allergies.
• Refuse to visit the bathhouse, sauna, solarium, swimming pool.

For 3–5 days, completely eliminate alcohol. Experts do not advise getting the injection site wet in the first 2 to 3 days, which will help prevent infection and inflammation of the wound. Physical activity is not recommended after vaccination. It is advisable to give up sports for 5 – 7 days. If no side effects occur during this time, you can return to your normal lifestyle.

After vaccination, an adult may experience a mild reaction, manifested by the following symptoms:

• slight increase in temperature – up to 37.1 – 37.4 °C;
• hyperemia, slight swelling and compaction at the injection site;
• runny nose, cough, sore throat.

Some have more serious side effects. After vaccination, a person may suffer from:

• nausea accompanied by bouts of vomiting;
• intestinal upset, stomach pain;
• localized rash on different parts of the body;
• profuse sweating;
• lethargy, weakness, apathy;
• headaches, dizziness.

If the condition worsens, you should seek medical help. Adults, like children, are not immune from complications in the post-vaccination period, especially if the person had latent diseases progressing in the body at the time of vaccination, and also had a weakened immune system.

After immunization against diphtheria, the following negative consequences may occur:

• fever accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature to 38 – 39 °C;
• increased blood or intracranial pressure;
• Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock;
• damage to the respiratory system: bronchitis, rhinitis, laryngitis;
• otitis;
• eczema, dermatitis;
• convulsions, neuritis of the upper extremities;
• decreased muscle tone;
• cardiac, respiratory dysfunction;
• hyperemia at the injection site;
• encephalitis.

Diphtheria symptoms

In temperate latitudes, oropharyngeal diphtheria is most common. The symptoms initially resemble a sore throat. The disease begins with fever and weakness, in addition the following symptoms are observed:

• swelling of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx and neck;
• gray-white plaque on the tonsils;
• enlargement of the submandibular and cervical lymph nodes.

In a localized form, the plaque does not extend beyond the tonsils, the intoxication is not intense, and the pain when swallowing is not very acute. If the patient has a strong immune system, recovery is possible even without the administration of anti-diphtheria serum, but the disease is fraught with serious complications.

The most common form of diphtheria is the membranous form, in which the plaque on the tonsils looks like a dense film with clear edges. When you try to remove it with a spatula, the tonsils begin to bleed. The throat swells and hurts very much. The wider the spread of plaque, the more intoxication of the body is manifested.

Toxic diphtheria is dangerous. Without timely administration of serum, it turns into hypertoxic or hemorrhagic forms. In the toxic form, the disease develops very quickly, the temperature rises sharply to 40 °C. Symptoms of general intoxication are clearly expressed: severe weakness, headache, pain in the throat and neck, and sometimes in the stomach. The dirty-gray plaque thickens after 2-3 days and completely covers all the tonsils, arches, soft and hard palate. Breathing becomes difficult even through the nose, and the neck swells greatly. You can feel a sweetish-sweet odor from your mouth.

With the hypertoxic form of diphtheria, intoxication increases even more. The patient periodically loses consciousness and experiences convulsions.

In the hemorrhagic form, there are extensive hemorrhages, bleeding from the nose, gums, and digestive organs. Death occurs within 2-3 days due to asphyxia (films block breathing), heart failure, damage to the kidneys and nervous system, or paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

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Indications and contraindications

The main indication for the use of the diphtheria vaccine is routine immunization of the population, which helps prevent outbreaks of epidemics of this dangerous disease. Vaccination is carried out strictly according to the vaccination schedule recommended by the Ministry of Health. For adults, revaccination is carried out every 10 years. Additional revaccination is also recommended:

• Pregnant women between 27 and 36 weeks, regardless of when the previous dose was received.
• Women after childbirth, if they have not been vaccinated previously.

There are certain contraindications to vaccination that should never be ignored. Immunization is strictly contraindicated if the patient is diagnosed with the following diseases and disorders:

• acute allergic reaction, occurring in severe form;
• diseases of the central nervous system;
• neoplasms of benign and malignant nature;
• encephalitis;
• diseases of the hematopoietic system;
• chronic systemic pathologies;
• congenital or acquired immunodeficiency;
• heart, kidney, liver diseases;
• first trimester of pregnancy;
• infectious diseases occurring in acute form.

It is prohibited for adults to revaccinate if severe complications were observed after the first vaccination:

• anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema;
• hyperemia, which bothered the patient for more than 3 days;
• neurological syndromes, including muscle spasms, disturbance of consciousness, deep fainting;
• acute local reaction accompanied by infiltration.