Influenza is not the only respiratory infection to be aware of. Pertussis seems to be surging.
Adults getting the tetanus and diphtheria (Td) booster may want to consider specifically asking for the version that also includes pertussis (Tdap). However, the acellular pertussis vaccine’s immunity does tend to fade relatively quickly.
I thought I was ok around new grandchild b/c I had the TDaP shot a few years ago, but I ended up getting revaccinated before baby was due.
The usual recommendation for adults is Td or Tdap every 10 years. It is kind of odd, because some research indicates that immunity from the acellular pertussis (the ap part) vaccine fades the fastest. Protection from the TdaP vaccine doesn't last very long - Harvard Health says that immunity from acellular pertussis vaccine lasts only about 3 years. Hence, someone who got the usual Tdap at age 11-12 is unlikely to have immunity against pertussis at traditional college age.
In that context, combining acellular pertussis vaccine, which should probably be on a 3 year booster schedule, with tetanus and diphtheria vaccine whose immunity lasts 10 (or more) years does not make a lot of sense.
This is great information that I did not know.
admins: feel free to move my pertussis post here from the politics of vaccines. I didn’t realize this one existed.
So it really should be added to the list of pre-college vaccines it sounds like. And since my kid had their last TdaP in 2015 the PCP should have mentioned the need for a booster last fall in any case.
Physicians outside of immunology may not necessarily be watching every vaccine research result, versus just making the standard recommendations. Unfortunately, the standard recommendations result in the last pediatric pertussis vaccine with Tdap at age 11-12, and the first adult pertussis vaccine at age 21-22 at the earliest (assuming they get Tdap rather than Td).
Do you happen to know which component of the Tdap is responsible for the commonly experienced pain and local vaccine reaction from this shot? The last time I got this booster the nurse said it’s common to have worse reactions each time you get the Tdap, so I wonder if that’s one reason why they only give a booster every 10 years?
She was 21 last fall, turning 22 this spring. I don’t expect the PCP to necessarily know off-hand, but shouldn’t the EMR show that it’s due? I go to the same PCP and my need for a second shingles shot and a pneumonia shot were clearly on her screen. Though come to think of it she didn’t mention TdaP to me either and it’s probably been more than 10 years since I had one. I also had pertussis (not formally diagnosed but almost definitely) about 20 years ago but I understand that isn’t lasting immunity either. I’m not really blaming the PCP (who is an NP not a physician by the way) I’m just annoyed no one thought of it until it is too late. Including me.
The EMR will not indicate that a pertussis booster is due sooner than the standard recommendation, which is 10 years from the last one, despite research indicating that pertussis immunity fades much faster.
I do not know the history of the 10 year vaccination interval, although it appears to be mainly driven by Td (tetanus and diphtheria) vaccination, since the standard recommendation for adults is to get either Td or Tdap every 10 years.