Tetanus and diphtheria are two diseases caused by toxins (poisons) made by bacteria. Tetanus is caused by Clostridium tetani, and diphtheria is caused by Cornebacterium diphtheriae. The symptoms of tetanus are muscle spasms, difficulty swallowing, stiffness in the neck and abdomen and fever. Diphtheria causes a thick coating in the nose and throat, which can result in difficulty breathing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that diphtheria can also cause heart problems, paralysis, and even death.
Prevention
Fortunately there are two very safe and effective vaccines that are widely available for the prevention of both tetanus and diphtheria. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are often combined into one vaccine. One diphtheria/tetanus vaccine is called DT, which contains high doses of both diphtheria and tetanus vaccine. According to the article "Parents' Guide to Childhood Immunization" (by the CDC), this vaccine is administered to children under seven. Another diphtheria/tetanus vaccine is Td; the lower case "d" signifies that it contains a smaller dose of the diphtheria vaccine. The Td vaccine is given to children older than seven, and adults every 10 years. As with every medication, there are possible side effects from the DT and Td vaccines.
Common Side Effects
The "Parents' Guide to Childhood Immunization" provides an extensive description of the vaccines available that protect against diphtheria and tetanus, as well as their possible side effects. A report by MedLine Plus (a service provided by the National Institutes of Health) also provided statistics about the incidence of side effects. The most common symptoms are quite mild; about 80 percent experience some pain, approximately 30 percent experience redness or swelling at the site of injection, and less than 7 percent experience a mild fever.
Rare Side Effects
Less common moderate side effects include development of a fever over 102 degrees F and extreme swelling of the arm at the site of injection. An extremely rare, possibly severe, side effect is an allergic reaction to the vaccine, which is affects less than one in a million people. The symptoms of an allergy are: wheezing, hives, weakness and a rapid heartbeat. If any of these side effects develop, a medical professional should be consulted.
Importantly, the CDC advises that "the risks from the vaccine are much smaller than the risks from the diseases if people stopped using vaccine." Furthermore, the CDC maintains that "almost all people who get Td have no problems with it." The large number of lives saved due to national tetanus and diphtheria vaccination programs are a great public health success.
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