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Guidelines Issued for Adult Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccination
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has issued recommendations for adult use of Adacel — Sanofi Pasteur's tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, licensed last year.
The guidelines, published in MMWR, suggest the Tdap vaccine be given:
• to adults aged 19 to 64 to replace the tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccine (Td) for booster immunization if they got their last dose of the older vaccine at least 10 years earlier
• at intervals of less than 10 years for those at increased risk for pertussis
• to child-care providers and other adults having close contact with infants (ideally before pregnancy for mothers)
• to health care workers with direct patient contact
For the last three groups, the CDC recommends an interval as short as 2 years from the last dose of Td, and says shorter intervals may be used.
Link: MMWR recommendation and report (Free)
Published in Physician's First Watch December 15, 2006
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