1. Take the MRSA Quiz!
2. Strep or Sore Throat Slideshow Pictures
3. Infectious Mononucleosis Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

People who recover from tetanus have no long-lasting effects.

The majority of all adult types of tetanus cases can be prevented by active immunization; neonatal cases are prevented by good hygiene and careful, sterile technique used to sever the umbilical cord and later (at 2 months old), beginning active immunizations. There are two main vaccines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For pediatric populations, DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis combination vaccine) is used. For nonimmunized adults and booster shots, Tdap (tetanus and reduced amounts of diphtheria and acellular pertussis combination vaccine) is recommended. Tdap was recommended (by the CDC in 2005) over the older Td combination vaccine, as cases of pertussis (whooping cough) had been increasing in the last decade.

DTP is infrequently used to describe this combination vaccine. DPT represents the combination vaccine but contains cellular pertussis antigen, not acellular pertussis antigen, and has not been used in the U.S. since 2002; the current designation is DTaP. In addition, DTP is an abbreviation used in the Netherlands for another type of combination vaccine: diphtheria, pertussis, and polio.

• All partially immunized as well as unimmunized adults should receive a tetanus vaccination (see below).
• The initial series for nonimmunized adults involves three doses of Tdap:
  • The first and second doses are given four to eight weeks apart.
  • The third dose is given six months after the second.
  • Booster doses are required every 10 years after that.
• In children, the immunization schedule calls for a shot frequency of five doses of DTaP.
• One dose is given at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age.
• This DTaP series is completed with a final dose when the child is between 4-6 years of age.
• Additional boosters with Tdap are given every 10 years after the final DTaP dose. Children that miss doses of DTaP can be given Tdap doses, but the choice for dose schedule should be determined by the patients' doctor.
• Pregnancy is not considered a contraindication for Tdap or Td vaccine according to the CDC.

People who are not completely immunized and have a tetanus-prone wound should receive a tetanus booster in addition to tetanus antibodies (human tetanus immune globulin or TIG). The tetanus antibodies (TIG) will provide short-term protection against the disease. For patients sensitive to the combined vaccines (DTaP or Tdap), other vaccines against tetanus are available (for example, Td), but the patients' doctor should determine the dosage schedule.

• Vaccine shots are somewhat painful (pain likely due to multiple factors such as inserting foreign material into a muscle, spreading out muscle fibers to make room for vaccine volume, the body's immune response, and others), but that pain should never prevent people from getting either immunized or booster shots. In most cases, the pain does not last long.

Must Read Articles Related to Tetanus

Checkup Some people expect to have a yearly checkup, and others feel that a checkup once every two to three years is sufficient. In the past, most medical groups advoca...learn more >>

Cuts or Lacerations A cut refers to a skin wound with separation of the connective tissue elements. Unlike an abrasion (a wound caused by friction or scraping), none of the skin is...learn more >>

Family Medical Records In the event of a medical emergency, it's important for doctors to have access to family medical records. These records should contain information about illness...learn more >>

See the Entire Tetanus Topic Guide »