IMMUNIZATION – YOUR BEST PROTECTION

Vaccines are the best way to protect against some very serious diseases.  Protection from tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis is now available for adolescents and adults, aged 4 to 64 years.  Pertussis (whooping cough) is re-emerging as a health problem in Ontario and around the world, with the most rapid increase occurring among teenagers. Protection against pertussis wanes over time, leaving adults/adolescents vulnerable to this disease.

Tetanus or “lockjaw” is a painful disease that can happen if dirt or dust with the tetanus germ gets into a cut in the skin.  Even with early treatment, tetanus can kill two out of every 10 people who get it.

Diphtheria is a serious disease of the nose, throat and skin that can cause breathing problems, heart failure and nerve damage.  It can kill one out of every 10 people who get the disease.

Pertussis or “whooping cough” causes severe spells of coughing sometimes followed by a whoop sound before the next breath. The “whoop” is more common in infants. Pertussis symptoms in adolescents and adults can range from a non-specific, prolonged cough illness to a cough that is severe enough to cause vomiting, broken ribs, bleeding into the eyelids, rectal prolapse and urinary incontinence. The illness lasts many weeks and is difficult to diagnose.  As a result, adults and adolescents easily spread the disease to infants.  Pertussis kills between one and three infants every year in Canada.

Who should have the vaccine?

This vaccine is recommended for all people aged 4 to 64.

Who should not have the vaccine?

• anyone who has a fever or serious illness on the day the needle is to be given

• anyone who has any allergy to any component of the vaccine

• anyone who has had an allergic reaction to tetanus, diphtheria or pertussis vaccines in the past

What to look for after the vaccine?

• Redness, soreness or swelling may occur where the needle was given.  These symptoms usually disappear within one to two days.  These side effects are generally mild.

• Rarely, headache, decreased energy, generalized body aches, nausea, chills, fever, vomiting and sore or swollen joints may occur.

• Allergic reactions like hives, swelling of the face and/or mouth, or difficulty breathing occur very rarely. If these symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately.

Call your doctor if you develop any symptoms that are severe or last more than a few days. Please note that serious side effects are very unlikely to occur and the benefits of the vaccine are much greater than the risks.

For more information on this vaccine, contact one of the numbers below and ask to speak to a Public Health Nurse in the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program. 

www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca