http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2002/05/06/eline/links/20020506elin004.html

US adults need booster shot of diphtheria, tetanus

Last Updated: 2002-05-06 16:56:04 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Only 60% of American adults have adequate immunization to ward off diphtheria infections and 72% are protected against tetanus, according to a recent investigation.

As a result, lead author Dr. Geraldine M. McQuillan of the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues are advising adults to get diphtheria and tetanus booster shots every 10 years.

Tetanus is a sometimes-fatal illness caused by toxin-producing bacteria that usually takes hold in a cut or wound. The disease is characterized by painful muscle spasms or contractions.

Diphtheria is caused by another type of bacteria that primarily attack the larynx, tonsils and throat. The toxin produced by the bug can damage the nerves and heart.

While most US children receive immunization for diphtheria and tetanus, many adults may not realize that over time the protection provided by the shots can wane.

In the study, 18,045 people aged 6 years and older were tested for the presence of diphtheria and tetanus antibodies in their blood between 1988 and 1994. The researchers report their findings in the May 7th issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

McQuillan's team found that 91% of children aged 6 to 11 years were found to have protective levels of diphtheria and tetanus antibodies. However, the number of adults found to have protective levels was another story altogether.

Overall, only about 50% of adults had protective antibodies to both diseases, and among those 70 years and older, only about 30% had protective levels against either of the two illnesses, the report indicates.

"Although diphtheria and tetanus occur only rarely in the US, (a) recent outbreak of diphtheria in the former Soviet Union is a reminder that even a well-controlled infection can re-emerge when population immunity is not maintained," McQuillan and colleagues write.

"Since immunity to diphtheria and tetanus decreases with age, doctors should re-immunize patients at 11 to 12 years of age and every 10 years thereafter, as recommended by the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices," the authors conclude.

SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine 2002;136:660-666.

Copyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.