{"id":5208,"date":"2019-03-20T05:18:37","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T05:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=5208"},"modified":"2021-11-10T14:59:05","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T14:59:05","slug":"14-pros-and-cons-of-tdap-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-pros-and-cons-of-tdap-vaccine\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Pros and Cons of TDap Vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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You\u2019ll often find that people get the TDaP vaccine mixed up with the DTaP vaccine. It\u2019s an easy mistake to make seeing as both of them are exactly identical save for the relocation of the T. The DTaP vaccine is a vaccine that protects children who are below the age of 7 from three devastating diseases. These diseases are whooping cough, tetanus, and diphtheria. You\u2019ll also find whooping cough referred to as pertussis by some physicians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TDaP, on the other hand, is designed to protect adolescents above the age of 11 as well as adults between the age of 19 and 64. The TDaP vaccine has a lower dose of pertussis and diphtheria. As you can see, both vaccines are nearly identical. They treat the same diseases. The only difference between the two is the target age as well as the dosage used. Just pretend that the T stands for a teenager so you don\u2019t confuse the two vaccines with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Antigen-based<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let us start by saying that whole-cell vaccines are both effective and safe. Still, these vaccines are cruder than other types. The outer shell of the pertussis bacteria is made out of polysaccharides and fats. They are endotoxin, which means that they can lead to generalized and full-body inflammation. Due to this, some children who were vaccinated with the older DTP vaccine <\/a>would develop fevers and even convulsions in some cases. In contrast, the DTaP vaccine only holds the antigenic parts of these cells as opposed to the entire specimen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antigens are proteins that your immune system uses as a frame of reference so that they can defend your body against a specific type of disease. They\u2019re like the scent of an escaped convict that bloodhounds use to track them down to their safehouse. Using the antigenic compounds exclusively means that the DTaP vaccine can protect children from pertussis without causing high fevers and other side effects that might worry parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Prevents diphtheria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diphtheria <\/a>is categorized as a severe respiratory disease. It can lead to many adverse effects. The most common symptom that those with diphtheria notice is difficulty breathing. There are also more severe symptoms in harsher cases that could range from paralysis to heart failure and sometimes even death. The issue with diphtheria is that it is very easy to catch it. It can be transmitted through sneezing or coughing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diphtheria is dangerous regardless of the age of the patient, but it can be particularly life-threatening if it infects a baby or toddler as their respiratory systems are too young to cope with the strain that the virus gives them. Their immune system is also younger and less able to fight off the disease. This is why it\u2019s so important that babies and adults alike get vaccinated for it. Many lives are saved every year due to the vaccination of diphtheria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Prevents tetanus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another deadly disease that is prevented by both the DTaP and TDaP vaccines is tetanus<\/a>. You\u2019ll also find some physicians referring to tetanus as lockjaw. Tetanus is caused by a type of bacteria that you\u2019ll often find in the soil. Tetanus is a particularly deadly disease due to its rapid progression. As soon as the bacteria enters the body, it will release a toxin that negatively impacts your nervous system. This damage to the nervous system could lead to various symptoms. Some of the more common symptoms of tetanus include muscle spasms and joint pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If tetanus is left untreated, death could ensue in a relatively short amount of time following initial infection. The number of tetanus deaths has been severely reduced due to vaccinations in both babies and adults. It\u2019s very hard to treat tetanus once it has taken hold of the patient due to the rate at which it progresses. That being the case, prevention through vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Prevents pertussis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pertussis<\/a>, much like diphtheria, is a highly contagious disease. Pertussis is also called whooping cough. It got its name due to the fact that it causes severe spasms as if the patients are being whooped by their cough. Some cases even show spasms so significant that infants are unable to drink milk, eat food, or in some severe cases, even breathe. One of the big risks that pertussis brings is the fact that it can cause pneumonia. Much like AIDS, one of the main ways that pertussis patients die is through pneumonia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other severe complications of pertussis include seizures, brain damage, and even death. It is very difficult for doctors to treat patients with pertussis due to the fact that they are unable to stay still. This is why it\u2019s so important that parents take preventative measures to protect their children from this deadly disease. Pertussis can be transmitted through coughing or sneezing, as well as coming into contact with bodily fluids such as saliva or blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Brought all three diseases to near-eradication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the great things about the TDaP disease is that it has been so effective in fighting its three primary targets that all of them are on the brink of eradication. Before the vaccine <\/a>was released to the public, all three diseases were very common in all parts of the world. The vaccine helped not only by immunizing individuals so that they wouldn\u2019t fall victim to one of the three diseases, but also by making it much harder for the diseases to spread across entire communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When outbreaks of viruses are suppressed, it becomes far harder for that disease to maintain its numbers. Remember, viruses rely on their host to survive and reproduce. Once there are no more hosts to infect, the virus dies off in what we call eradication. While it is near eradication, there is no doubt that these three diseases could easily make a comeback if people were to stop getting vaccinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. It wears off<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the drawbacks of the TDaP vaccine is that it isn\u2019t everlasting. Your immunity to these three diseases will wear off over time. There have been some shifts in the recommended schedule over the past few decades, but the current schedule that most major medical organizations recommend is a booster shot for diphtheria and tetanus every ten years following your initial immunization<\/a>. The booster shot was formerly known as TD but later renamed TDaP once the pertussis booster was added in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also advised that pregnant women get their booster shots to ensure that they don\u2019t get infected by any of these diseases during their term. The ideal time for pregnant mothers to get their TDaP vaccination is between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation. Doctors generally advise against getting the TDaP vaccination earlier than 27 weeks as there might be unforeseen complications in the developing embryo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Who shouldn\u2019t get it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While vaccinations are a great thing, there are definitely some people who aren\u2019t fit to get them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children who are severely ill should wait to make a full recovery before they get vaccinated \u2014 due to the fact that their immune system<\/a> is preoccupied with another disease and might not be able to fight off any side effects of vaccination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the child only has a minor issue such as a cold or lower fever, they can still get their dose of the vaccine. If a child shows a near-fatal reaction following their vaccination, it is not advised that they are given a second dose after they recover. In the same way, children who suffer from the nervous system or neurological diseases after a week of getting the vaccine shouldn\u2019t get another dose. If you are unsure as to whether or not your child is fit for vaccination, just ask your pediatrician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Side effects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While side effects, especially severe ones, are actually rather rare in vaccinations, they aren\u2019t non-existent. There are some children who might have a negative reaction after they are exposed to the pertussis part of the DTaP vaccine. As we mentioned above, if such is the case, they should not get another dose of the vaccine. That said, there is an alternative for children like this. If it is the pertussis component specifically that led to the negative reaction, they can get the DT vaccine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DT vaccine differs from the DTaP vaccine in that it does not contain the pertussis antigens <\/a>and will not cause a negative reaction in children who are allergic to this component. It will still protect them from both tetanus and diphtheria making it the next best thing. Your doctor will be able to tell you whether or not the DT vaccine is more appropriate for your child in comparison to the  DTaP vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Requires Booster Shots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the cons of the DTaP vaccine is that it requires several booster shots after birth. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends infants and children receive five individual doses of the vaccine. Doctors implement the following vaccination guidelines for infants <\/a>at the relevant age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n