adult tetanus required - what to do

[MamaRabbit]

My family and I will be traveling to a 3rd world country this summer where we'll live (think rice paddies) and I will be working in a birth center. On filling out forms, there is a list of immunizations for myself and only one is absolutely required, and that is tetanus. I have to put down the "Date of last immunization". I'm not sure when I had the last shot but it's been a while.

1. Can titers be drawn to see if it's still in there? If not, how long does the shot last before needing a booster?
2. If I choose to get re-vaxed, how long before it takes affect?
3. What are my risks of the shot, not just for me but my children that I'm nursing? (No vax required for them)
4. Can I get a tetanus only shot or would it be a DT and which is the safer of the two?

If I were living in the US this wouldn't be an issue as I know tetanus is rare but in the setting I'm going to, I'm just not sure what I'm going to do. I already live in a 3rd world country but I live in an urban area and it's hard enough to find a patch of grass, let alone an area with enough dirt to find tetanus.

I figured this forum is the best place to get some info! TIA

[moondiapers]

Tetnus is all over. It's on your skin right now....but it can only grow in an environment that has NO OXYGEN. So a wound that bleeds, or is just on the surface cannot get tetnus. The danger comes if you get a puncture wound that does NOT bleed. If you can sqeeze the wound to make it bleed, or get a syringe with a long nose into the wound to wash it out with something like saline (the water has oxygen in it) it should be fine. Those at risk for tetnus are usually people with poor circulation due to advanced age or diabetes. I tetnus shot takes a couple of weeks to work.....and is good for 10 years. Some studies show (can't find them right now) that after a few boosters you are immune for life.

[Lazy Gardens]

1. Can titers be drawn to see if it's still in there? Yes.

If not, how long does the shot last before needing a booster? about 7-10 years, but you are going into a high-risk environment, and tetanus in a "third-world" rural medical system is more likely to be fatal than it is in the USA.

2. If I choose to get re-vaxed, how long before it takes affect? Almost immediately ... lab tests can see a titer increase starting in in a few days.

3. What are my risks of the shot, not just for me but my children that I'm nursing? (No vax required for them) For you, a sore arm, maybe a mild fever. for the kid nothing.

4. Can I get a tetanus only shot or would it be a DT and which is the safer of the two? There is a tetanus only booster.

[Marnica]

3. What are my risks of the shot, not just for me but my children that I'm nursing? (No vax required for them) For you, a sore arm, maybe a mild fever. for the kid nothing.

I disagree. The dT booster (manufactered by Sanofi-Pasteur) has aluminum, formaldehyde and 25mg of thimerosal in it.

Adacel which is the Dtap Booster has formaldehyde, aluminum and 2-phenoxyethanol and even says in the package insert that it is not known if it is excreted in human milk.

This is in fact true of all of the vaccines. They do not do tests to see if any of the ingredients are excreted in human milk, )at least I haven't ever seen any with my own eyes and I have asked and looked for them) Most package inserts say right there there are no tests. This doesn't stop them from saying that breastfeeding and getting vaccines is safe. They really have no idea if it is or not. But then again they say that all the vaccines are safe too so that is not surprising. There is ALWAYS risk involved with vaccines to you and a breastfeeding infant IMO. You just have to weigh those potential risks with the benefits of getting a booster.
Id start with getting a titer drawn.

[lioralourie]

They may not all be available where you are (where are you, anyway?) but the list of U.S. approved tetanus vaccines is here.
http://www.novaccine.com/specific-va...ne.asp?v_id=37 At least you can look to see what some of the common ingredients are and what to avoid.

another source, maybe more comprehensive is here (download with links embedded)
http://vaers.hhs.gov/pdf/PackageInserts.pdf

You'll see that most Tetanus are in combination shots. I would definitely avoid a local vaccine, try to get to a foreigner hospital to get an imported vaccine if you must.

As for reactions, search the VAERS database here http://www.medalerts.org/ and, Oh, I'll make it easy for ya, here's the TTOX search and "Hospitalized: Yes" to see the range of serious reactions listed.
(http://www.medalerts.org/vaersdb/fin...0&SORTING=NONE)

And here's a great online resource listing UK medicines and vaccines including the package inserts (http://emc.medicines.org.uk/) type in Tetanus. Don't bother with the PIL (Patient Information Leaflet) go straight for the Yellow icons which are the package inserts.

Personally, and as much as I wouldn't want to, I'd just lie on the form rather than get a tetanus shot. You can't become "immune" to tetanus via natural exposure, so why would anyone develop immunity via a shot? It's a total farce and gives zero protection anyway. Anyhow, they almost always include it with Diphtheria or 2 or 3 other things, too. Hilary Butler writes well on the topic of Tetanus in her books JALP and FOPTA.

Risks of the vaccine are included in the package inserts, and on the VAERS database too. Some package inserts are at the Novaccine site. Other links are here http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/package_inserts.htm and for Aventis Pasteur here https://www.vaccineshoppe.com/index....anon.piexpress but most vax manufacturers include package inserts on their sites if you dig around enough.

This page has a brilliant excerpt from one of Hilary Butler's books, about tetanus.
(http://www.pahealthsystems.com/archi...10-851546.html)

Also you really should read Bronwyn Hancock (BSc., Cert. Nutr.) tetanus info here is one source
(http://www.*********/vaccines/hancock4.html)

Wishing you the best of answers!
Liora in Beijing

[MamaRabbit]

Thank you everyone! Liora, we're in Thailand for now. I'll start with trying to find a place that understands I want my titers checked and NOT the shot. Then go from there. I'm really uneasy about doing this vax and haven't decided what to do yet. But thank you for the great information!