Do Adults Need Whooping Cough Vaccine

Is Whooping Cough Vaccination In Pregnancy Working

Yes, it is. Published research from the UK vaccination programme shows that vaccinating pregnant women against whooping cough has been highly effective in protecting young babies until they can have their first vaccination when they are 8 weeks old.

Babies born to women vaccinated at least a week before birth had a 91% reduced risk of becoming ill with whooping cough in their first weeks of life, compared to babies whose mothers had not been vaccinated.

An additional benefit is that the protection the mother receives from the vaccination will lower her own risk of infection and of passing whooping cough on to her baby.

Why Should Adults Get A Whooping Cough Vaccine

ANSWER

Adults get whooping cough. You may think whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is something only children or babies get. But adults can get sick, too.

Adults pass whooping cough to babies. Although whooping cough is rarely deadly in teens or adults, you can pass it on to a baby who has not gotten the vaccine.

CDC: “Vaccines and Immunizations,” “Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis Vaccines: What You Need to Know.”

eMedicine: “Pertussis.”

CDC: “Vaccines and Immunizations,” “Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis Vaccines: What You Need to Know.”

eMedicine: “Pertussis.”

• What symptoms of whooping cough might you have if you were immunized as a child?

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Whooping Cough Vaccine Safe For Older Adults

30 May 13

The whooping cough vaccine recommended for all adults is safe for those over 65, a new study says.

The results show that the vaccine, called Tdap which protects against whooping cough , tetanus and diphtheria does not increase the risk of adverse reactions among adults age 65 and older compared to that of the traditional tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, known as Td.

The findings are in agreement with the current recommendation to provide Tdap to adults age 65 and older.

While this recommendation was made in 2010, the vaccine was initially used off label in adults 65 and older, and wasn’t licensed for this age group until 2011. The new study was done because published research on the safety of the vaccine in older adults is limited. As more people 65 and over get vaccinated as a result of the new recommendation, evaluation of its safety is essential, the researchers said.

Study researcher Hung Fu Tseng and colleagues at Kaiser Permanente Southern California analyzed information from 119,573 adults ages 65 and over who received the Tdap vaccine between 2006 and 2010, and a similar number of older adults who received the Td vaccine during the same period. The researchers examined the risk for adverse events, such as allergic reactions, for up to 42 days after people received the vaccination.

The risk for adverse events following the vaccination was about the same for both groups.

Pass it on:It is safe for older adults to get a Tdap vaccination.

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Which Vaccines Do You Recommend During Pregnancy

I recommend two vaccines for pregnant parents: The first is the flu vaccine, and the second is pertussis .

The flu vaccine should be given to expecting parents as soon possible .

The antibodies generated by the flu shot will also circulate to the baby during pregnancy and protect the baby in early life. This is really important since the baby cant get the flu shot before they are 6 months old, and we dont have very effective treatments to care for those babies who become very ill with the flu.

Read: Flu: When to Go to the ER

Complications Of Whooping Cough

Whooping cough is most serious in babies under 12 months of age. In young babies less than six months of age, the symptoms can be severe or life threatening. Seek urgent medical attention if your child’s lips or skin go blue or if they are having breathing difficulties associated with the coughing. Some of the complications of whooping cough in young babies include:

• haemorrhage
• death.

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How Much Does The Whooping Cough Vaccine Cost

In the United States, the cost of the Tdap vaccine depends on whether or not you have health insurance coverage. Government-funded federal health centers also offer vaccinations, sometimes with a sliding scale fee based on your income. State and local health departments can often provide information on how to access free or low-cost vaccinations.

Most private health insurance plans provide coverage for some or all of the cost of the vaccine. Medicare Part D also provides some coverage for vaccination. However, you might face some charges depending on the specific plan that you have.

If you have health insurance, contact your insurance provider to learn if your insurance plan covers the cost of the vaccine. If you dont have insurance, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or state or local health departments to learn how much the vaccine will cost.

Which Whooping Cough Vaccine Will I Be Given

As there is no whooping cough-only vaccine, the vaccine you’ll be given also protects against polio, diphtheria and tetanus. The vaccine is called Boostrix IPV.

Boostrix IPV is similar to the 4-in-1 vaccine the pre-school booster that’s routinely given to children before they start school.

You can read the manufacturer’s patient information leaflet for Boostrix IPV .

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Whooping Cough Vaccine Protecting Newborns

Vaccinating women against pertussis ideally from 20 to 32 weeks gestation provides two-for-one protection for newborn babies. The mother is protected by the vaccine, reducing her risk of infection and therefore the risk of passing infection onto her newborn. Antibodies produced against pertussis during pregnancy are also transferred to the baby in utero, providing added protection through passive immunity. These antibodies help to protect the baby in the period before they receive their first vaccines at 6 weeks, 4 months and 6 months of age.

If women miss the vaccine during pregnancy it can be given in the postpartum period. Partners of pregnant women can receive the vaccine, at any time from the third trimester of pregnancy if they have not received the vaccine in the last ten years. The vaccine helps to protect the newborn by reducing the risk of transmission of infection.

Where Can I Learn More

• Talk to your immunizing health care provider.

About pertussis

• Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a serious infection of the airways caused by pertussis bacteria.
• The bacteria are easily spread by coughing, sneezing, or close face-to-face contact.
• Pertussis starts like a common cold with symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, mild fever, and a mild cough. Over the next two weeks, the cough gets worse, leading to severe, repeated, and forceful coughing spells that often end with a whooping sound before the next breath.
• The cough of pertussis can last several months and occurs more often at night.
• The cough can make a person gag or spit out mucus and make it hard to take a breath.
• In babies, pertussis can cause periods of apnea in which their breathing is interrupted.
• Pertussis can cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, or death. These complications are seen most often in infants.
• About 1 in 170 infants who get pertussis may die.

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Vaccines To Help Prevent Pneumonia

Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection that spreads from person to person by air. It often causes pneumonia in the lungs and it can affect other parts of the body.

There are two pneumococcal vaccines: PPSV23 and PCV13. According to the CDC, adults who are age 65 and older should get the PPSV23 vaccine. Some older adults may also need the PCV13 vaccine. Talk with your health care professional to find out if you need both pneumococcal vaccines.

Who Needs Protection Most

You can contract whooping cough at any age, and though the cough may last for about three months, most people get through the illness without lasting effects.

Whooping cough can be quite dangerous, though, for infants, who can’t get their first vaccination until they reach 2 months .

Young babies not only have less robust protection against whooping cough than older children and most adults but are also more likely to experience potentially serious complications such as pneumonia and convulsions.

Babies with whooping cough often don’t cough at all,” explains Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., chief medical adviser for Consumer Reports. “Instead, the disease causes them to stop breathing and turn blue.

According to the CDC, about one out of four babies who contract whooping cough develop pneumonia, and one or two out of every 100 will die.

And because not everyone has visible symptoms when ill with whooping cough, parents, grandparents, and caregivers may pass the illness on to babies unknowingly. “Some people may have a mild form of the disease and not even know it, and they can transmit it to a baby through a cough or sneeze, or even by blowing a kiss,” Lipman says.

Experts say babies usually catch whooping cough from relatives. The source is family members because they get it and bring it to the infant, says William Schaffner, M.D., professor of preventive medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

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Is The Whooping Cough Vaccine Safe For Adults Are There Any Risks

The DTaP and Tdap vaccines are very safe and effective at preventing diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. But all medications and vaccines can have side effects.

Fortunately, the most common side effects of these vaccines are usually mild and go away on their own. They can include:

• soreness or swelling where the shot was given
• fever
• crankiness
• loss of appetite

Severe allergic reactions are rare but can be life threatening. Always consult your healthcare provider if youre concerned youre having a reaction.

You shouldnt get the vaccine if youve had a coma or long repeated seizures within 7 days after a dose of DTaP or Tdap.

The notes that you should tell the person giving you the vaccine if you:

• have seizures or another nervous system problem
• have ever had Guillain-Barré syndrome
• had severe pain or swelling after a dose of whooping cough vaccine.
• had an allergic reaction to the whooping cough vaccine or any severe allergies in the past

Its important to keep a record if youve ever had a severe allergic reaction in the past and to tell the healthcare provider giving you the vaccine.

Keep in mind, severe reactions are rare.

The whooping cough vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent infection. Babies are at greatest risk of severe illness and death from this bacterial infection.

But a prolonged cough can have significant consequences for adolescents and adults. It may result in:

• substantial time lost from work or school
• social isolation
• sleep deprivation
• anxiety

Pregnancy And Whooping Cough Immunisation

A combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough is recommended from 20 to 32 weeks gestation in every pregnancy and at any time up to delivery. If the vaccine is given within two weeks of delivery, the newborn may not be adequately protected.

Read more about protecting your baby from whooping cough.

If you would like more information, ask your doctor.

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Who Needs The Whooping Cough Vaccine And Booster

The news that two Plano high school students were diagnosed with pertussis in November 2015 has led to more patients asking me about the disease commonly known as whooping cough. These cases offer a good reminder to make sure your and your childrens vaccination records are up to date.

Cases of pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory tract infection, have been steadily increasing in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 15 percent increase in pertussis cases between 2013 and 2014, from 28,639 to 32,971. In Texas, there were 2,576 cases reported in 2014.

Whooping cough mostly strikes children who are too young to have completed the course of vaccinations and teenagers and adults whose immunity has faded. While deaths from whooping cough are rare, infants are most at risk, making it important that pregnant women and people who have close contact with infants make sure they are adequately vaccinated.

Added Protection For Infants

It is now recommended that all pregnant women receive a pertussis vaccination when they are 20 to 32 weeks pregnant. A combination of antibodies being passed through the mothers bloodstream and the reduced risk of the mother catching the disease makes this an ideal time to administer the vaccine. Pertussis vaccine is available free of charge to eligible people under the National Immunisation Program. Speak to your doctor or antenatal care provider to schedule an appointment.

Fathers, grandparents and anyone else who is likely to come into contact with newborns should see their doctor to get a pertussis booster at least 2 weeks before the baby is born.

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Shingles Vaccine For Older Adults

Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. If you had chickenpox, the virus is still in your body. The virus could become active again and cause shingles.

Shingles affects the nerves. Common symptoms include burning, shooting pain, tingling, and/or itching, as well as a rash with fluid-filled blisters. Even when the rash disappears, the pain can remain. This is called post-herpetic neuralgia, or PHN.

The shingles vaccine is safe and it may keep you from getting shingles and PHN. Healthy adults age 50 and older should get vaccinated with the shingles vaccine, which is given in two doses.

You should get a shingles shot even if you have already had chickenpox, the chickenpox vaccine, or shingles, received Zostavax, or dont remember having had chickenpox. However, you should not get a vaccine if you currently have shingles, are sick or have a fever, have a weakened immune system, or have had an allergic reaction to Shingrix. Check with your doctor if you are not sure what to do.

You can get the shingles vaccine at your doctors office and at some pharmacies. Medicare Part D and private health insurance plans may cover some or all of the cost. Check with Medicare or your health plan to find out if it is covered.

Key Points About Whooping Cough

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Whooping Cough Vaccine For Adults

Adults age 19 years and older require a one-time whooping cough booster. Tdap is a combination vaccine with tetanus and diphtheria. The following patients should also get a booster:

• Pregnant women should get the vaccine during the third trimester
• All adults who anticipate close contact with babies younger than 12 months, ideally at least two weeks before contact

Can Adults Have Allergic Reactions To Tdap Or Td Vaccines

Although it’s rare, someone may have a severe allergic reaction to an ingredient in the Tdap or Td vaccine. This generally happens in less than one in a million doses. Most of the time, such reactions occur within a few minutes of receiving the vaccine. The following can be signs of a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis:

• Behavior changes

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Adult Immunisation Against Whooping Cough

The whooping cough vaccine for adults also contains diphtheria and tetanus protection in a combination vaccine.

Adults who should be vaccinated with whooping cough vaccine if they have not had a dose in the last 10 years include:

• childcare workers
• pregnant women from 20 weeks gestation, in every pregnancy
• any adult who wants to reduce their likelihood of becoming ill with whooping cough
• family members, grandparents and people in contact with infants less than six months of age, including other household members
• all adults aged 65 years and older
• adults needing a tetanus boost at any time, and at 50 years of age when tetanus boosting is recommended
• travellers
• people with a history of whooping cough infection people who have had whooping cough are still recommended to receive whooping cough vaccine as scheduled.

A booster dose of whooping cough vaccine is recommended for people who have not had one in the previous ten years. The vaccine takes about two weeks for immunity to develop after vaccination.

The following people should have a booster dose of whooping cough vaccine every ten years:

• all adults working with infants and young children less than four years of age
• all healthcare workers.