What is Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are serious diseases caused by bacteria.

Diphtheria causes a thick coating in the nose, throat, and airway. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, or death.

Pertussis (whooping cough) causes coughing so severe that it interferes with eating, drinking, or breathing. These spells can last for weeks and can lead to pneumonia, seizures (convulsions), brain damage, and death.

Tetanus (lockjaw) causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to “locking” of the jaw so the victim cannot open the mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 out of 10 cases.

Diphtheria and pertussis are spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through a cut or wound.

The diphtheria, tetanus acellular, and pertussis adult vaccine (also called Tdap) is used to help prevent these diseases in people who are ages 10 to 64 years old. Most people in this age group require only one Tdap shot for protection against these diseases.

This vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Like any vaccine, the Tdap vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

You should not receive this vaccine if you have ever had a life-threatening reaction to any vaccine containing diphtheria, pertussis, or tetanus, including extreme drowsiness, fainting, or seizures (convulsions).

You may not be able to receive this vaccine if you have ever received a similar vaccine that caused any of the following:

• a very high fever (over 104 degrees)
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain
• fainting or going into shock
• an allergy to latex rubber
• severe or uncontrolled epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or
• Guillain-Barr

Before receiving a Tdap vaccine, tell the doctor if you have:

• a history of seizures
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine)
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or
• if it has been less than 5 years since you last received a tetanus shot

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a minor cold. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this vaccine is harmful to an unborn baby. Before receiving the Tdap vaccine, tell your doctor if you are pregnant.

It is not known whether Tdap vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

The adult version of this vaccine (Adacel, Boostrix) should not be given to anyone under the age of 10 or over the age of 64. Another vaccine is available for use in children younger than 10 years old.

Adacel (adolescent and adult) Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

You should not receive this vaccine a second time if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. If you ever have to receive another vaccine in the future, you will need to tell the doctor if the first shot caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with diphtheria, pertussis, or tetanus is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects within 7 days after receiving this vaccine:

• extreme drowsiness, fainting
• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
• high fever

Less serious side effects include:

• mild fever or chills
• redness, pain, tenderness, or swelling where the shot was given
• headache or tiredness
• joint pain, body aches; or
• mild nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.

Adacel (adolescent and adult) Interactions

What other drugs affect Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf)

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you have received. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

Follow your doctor’s instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity after receiving a Tdap vaccine.

Adacel (adolescent and adult) Dosage

How should I take Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) into a muscle. You will receive this injection in a doctor’s office or other clinic setting.

In most cases, you will receive only one dose of the tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis vaccine. Follow your doctor’s instructions about receiving a booster dose if needed.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor’s instructions about how much of this medicine to take.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring if you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

What happens if I overdose on Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

An overdose of Tdap vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What happens if I miss a dose of Adacel (adolescent and adult) (Diphtheria/Pertussis, Acel/Tetanus Adult)?

Since the Tdap vaccine is usually given only once, you may not be on a dosing schedule. Contact your doctor if you miss a recommended booster vaccine.

Edited from everydayhealth.com