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Pertussis:
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Pertussis - the vaccine
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Table of contents for pertussis
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What is Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) vaccine
Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine is made from diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and pertussis vaccine. It is a liquid vaccine. If a vial of DTP vaccine stands for a long time, fine particles may separate from the liquid. They look like fine sand at the bottom of the vial. Before giving the vaccine shake the vial to mix the vaccine and liquid.
DTP vaccine should never be frozen. The “Shake test” will determine if the vaccine has been damaged by freezing. If the vaccine fails the shake test you must discard it.
How safe is DTP vaccine and what are its potential side-effects?
Usually, reactions to DTP vaccine are mild. The side-effects include: Fever. Up to half of the children who receive DTP vaccine may have a fever in the evening after receiving the injection. The fever should disappear within a day. Note that a fever that begins more than 24 hours after a DTP injection is not likely to be a reaction to the vaccine. Administering paracetamol or any appropriate antipyretic at the time and at four and eight hours after immunization decreases the subsequent incidence of febrile and local reactions.
- Soreness. Up to half of the children may have pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site.
- Crying. More than three hours, mostly because of pain, can be observed in up to 1% of infants.
More severe reactions reported include convulsions (usually related to fever, one case in 12 500 doses administered) and hypotonic–hyporesponsive episodes (one case in 1750 doses administered). Anaphylactic reactions are extremely rare. There is no evidence that the vaccine causes any serious neurological disorder such as encephalopathy.
Pertussis:
1,2,3,4
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