Tetanus vaccine question

[maxwill129]

One more vaccine question that I'm having trouble finding...

So I saw on one website (I think it was Tenpenny that said this) that the tetanus vaccine is a toxoid vaccine and our body can't build up immunity to poisons.  So if vaccination doesn't make sense, would the tetanus immune globulin makes sense if you have a wound that is deep and can't be cleaned and bled properly?  I guess my DH and I are questioning this vaccine vs. what to do if our children developed tetanus...

[Marnica]

Yes, if you were to forgo the tetanus vaccine, you could request the TIG for a wound that was "high risk" for tetanus.

In ER situations where there is a wound that is high risk in an unvaccinated person - docs will try and give the TIG AND the DT (to try and get protection from future wounds that may also be high risk).

[maxwill129]

Good to know about them trying to push the DT on you.  Thanks for answering.  I'm still researching more, but was just not finding the answer I was looking for (maybe because I'm trying to do it with 4 children around :) !).

[Otto]

Originally Posted by maxwill129 

So I saw on one website (I think it was Tenpenny that said this) that the tetanus vaccine is a toxoid vaccine and our body can't build up immunity to poisons.

This is likely a conflation with the fact that contracting tetanus doesn't produce immunity, because of the tiny amount of tetanospasmin required and the way it gets back to the central nervous system. Clearly, if one believes the vaccine doesn't work, a necessary conclusion is that TiG doesn't either.

[maxwill129]

Clearly you can believe the vaccine doesn't work but the TiG does, as I've continuted to research after I posted this question and found the answer I was looking for. 

"Early doses of toxoid may not induce immunity, but only prime the immune system. The TIG provides temporary immunity by directly providing antitoxin. This ensures that protective levels of antitoxin are achieved."

[Otto]

Originally Posted by maxwill129 

 

"Early doses of toxoid may not induce immunity, but only prime the immune system. The TIG provides temporary immunity by directly providing antitoxin. This ensures that protective levels of antitoxin are achieved."

Yeah, this is true, but it refers to those who haven't completed the initial series. TiG is a human plasma product separated from donations from those with high antibody levels, produced by receiving the vaccine in the first place. If the vaccine "doesn't work," how is it that the IgG that it induces does work when removed and given to someone else?

[miriam]

Being a human blood product,  do hcp providers fully inform all patients of this fact, that all human blood products may carry the risk of hepatitis, AIDS, HIV, even though no one case has ever been verified.  Who would want to be the first one identified?   Whatever happened to informed consent?

[maxwill129]

Hmmm, good point.
 

Originally Posted by Otto 

Yeah, this is true, but it refers to those who haven't completed the initial series. TiG is a human plasma product separated from donations from those with high antibody levels, produced by receiving the vaccine in the first place. If the vaccine "doesn't work," how is it that the IgG that it induces does work when removed and given to someone else?

[maxwill129]

Originally Posted by miriam 

Being a human blood product,  do hcp providers fully inform all patients of this fact, that all human blood products may carry the risk of hepatitis, AIDS, HIV, even though no one case has ever been verified.  Who would want to be the first one identified?   Whatever happened to informed consent?

I'm assuming the information is probably on something that you sign...however, how many people actually read all the "fine print"?