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Key Points and Vaccine summary

Table of contents for Diphtheria Introduction Diphtheria - The disease Diphtheria - The vaccine Key Points and Vaccine summary

Key Points

• Diphtheria is spread from person to person in airborne droplets.
• Symptoms of the disease include sore throat, loss of appetite, and a slight fever.
• Patients with the disease can experience complications such as abnormal heartbeats and inflammation of the heart muscle and valves.
• Children with diphtheria should be treated with diphtheria antitoxin and antibiotics.
• The most effective way of preventing the disease is to maintain a high level of immunization within a community.

Vaccine summary

• Type of vaccine: Diphtheria and Tetanus as toxoids. Pertussis as killed whole-cell bacterium
• Number of doses: At least three primary doses
• Schedule: 6, 10, 14 weeks of age^a
• Booster: 18 months to 6 years of age^b
• Contraindications: Anaphylactic reaction to previous dose or to any constituent
• Adverse reactions: Mild local or systemic reactions are common
• Special precautions: DTP not usually given over 6 years of age
• Dosage: 0.5ml
• Injection site: Outer mid-thigh in infants/outer upper arm if older
• Injection type: Intramuscular
• Storage: Store between 2°C–8°C. DTP vaccine should never be frozen

^aThere is considerable variation in the timing of the three primary doses between different national immunization schedules.
^bWHO recommends that, where resources permit, an additional dose of DTP be given after completion of the primary doses. However, the need for and timing of additional booster doses of DTP should be addressed by individual national programmes.

Diphtheria: 1,2,3,4