Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, & Hib Vaccine

In Canadian childhood vaccination programs, vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus (a bacterial infection) are administered as one shot in a vaccine with the trade name, Pentacel™. Pediacel™, an alternate vaccine to this, has the same formula except the culture used to grow its polio viruses is monkey tissue rather than the (aborted) human lung tissue used for Pentacel™.

Pentacel™ was formulated when Haemophilus vaccine first became available. Just prior to this, polio vaccine was administered together with diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines in a four-valent vaccine or by itself, separate from DTP vaccine. It was serious adverse reactions to DTP vaccine that gave rise to much more wary vaccine consumerism starting in the 1980’s. And despite its use for 70 decades, whooping cough outbreaks still occur in highly vaccinated populations.

With increased vulnerability of babies of mothers who’ve never been exposed to pertussis infections, and increased vulnerability of teens and adults whose childhood vaccinations no longer protect them, pertussis vaccine is now scheduled for most of a Canadian’s lifespan. As well as Pentacel™ or Pediacel™ for infants and children 2 mos to 6 yrs old, Adacel™, containing tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis antigens (pathogenic substances against which the immune system reacts) is given to 12- to 54-year-olds.

Now a third vaccine is being offered as a first shot given to infants. With the addition of a sixth component against hepatitis B, this vaccine, Infanrix hexa™, is hoped to encourage more parents to opt for vaccination. After all, it eliminates one of the four first needles jabbed into pudgy little arms. However, coincidentally, it also may make it even more difficult for parents who wish to consent to only one or two vaccines to do so.

Please see the separate Polio page in the Specific Vaccines section for more articles on this subject.

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