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| Vaccine-Preventable Diseases |
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Diphtheria (DTaP, Tdap, Td) |
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Diphtheria is a serious disease caused by bacteria. The actual disease is caused when the bacteria release a toxin, or poison, into a person's body. |
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Diphtheria bacteria live in the mouth, throat, and nose of an infected person and can be passed to others by coughing or sneezing. Occasionally, transmission occurs from skin sores or through articles soiled with oozing from sores of infected people. |
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Diphtheria can lead to severe breathing problems, heart problems, and paralysis. Death occurs in 5%–10% of people infected with diphtheria. |
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Diphtheria was once a greatly feared illness in the United States. In the 1920s, there were between 100,000 and 200,000 cases of diphtheria each year with 13,000–15,000 deaths. Because of widespread immunization and better living conditions, diphtheria is now rare in the United States. |
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Vaccination is the most effective step you can take to be protected from this serious disease. Outbreaks still occur around the world and typically coincide with a drop in immunization rates. |
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| Diphtheria Vaccine Schedule |
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| All
children should get 5 doses of
DTaP
(diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis)
vaccine, beginning at 2 months
of age. If your child misses a
dose or gets behind schedule,
make sure they get the next dose
as soon as possible. Older
children, teens, and adults
should receive one dose of Tdap
vaccine and after that, a Td or
Tdap booster dose every 10 years. |
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| Trusted Websites |
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| Diphtheria |
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| Find fact sheets for parents and children, resources, multimedia, and more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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Diphtheria |
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Find easy-to-understand vaccine information for yourself or your loved ones |
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Video Library |
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| Is Your Child Under Vaccinated?: Undervaccinated kids, meaning they are missing some vaccinations, are at a much higher risk for getting infection and whooping cough. Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson recommends that your children are up to date with their vaccinations to keep them healthy. |
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| >> view all diphtheria videos |
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| Personal Testimonies |
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| Stories of suffering and loss from diphtheria |
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| More Diphtheria Information |
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| Diphtheria disease and vaccine information |
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| This page was updated
on December 10, 2021. |
| This page was reviewed
on June 28, 2021. |
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Immunize.org • 2136 Ford Parkway • Suite 5011 • Saint Paul, Minnesota • 55116 |
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tel 651-647-9009 • fax 651-647-9131 |
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Immunize.org (IAC), a non-profit organization, works to increase immunization rates and prevent disease by creating and distributing educational materials for health professionals and the public that enhance delivery of safe and effective immunization services. IAC also facilitates communication about the safety, efficacy, and use of vaccines within the broad immunization community of patients, parents, healthcare organizations, and government health agencies. |
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