Tetanus only

[austinmamma]

Where is the Tetanus toxoid or whatever they call it. I just want to give my sons that one and not the combined DTaP. We have already got the antibodies the hard way with Pertussis, I didn't want to expose them to more than I needed to. When I called the Vaccine hotline from my local yellow pages they said the only place in Austin where Tetanus shots by themselves were available was at some travel center where you get vaxed before international travel. This was a dose for people over the age of 7 though. Do I have to fly somewhere or something to get my children covered? This is the one I have really been freaking out about since birth since we live out in the country and are most of the time barefooted. Thanks so much for any help!

[ma2two]

The tetanus-only vaccine is not licensed for children under 7 years old, but I'm sure there are some doctors who are willing to give it off label. I don't know of any, but I've never looked, either. There are no mercury-free tetanus-only vaccines. They either contain 25 mcg mercury or 0.3 mcg mercury, depending on if they are from a multi-dose vial or single dose vial.

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM166873.pdf

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM142732.pdf

If you read the CDC's Pink Book chapter on tetanus, you may find that tetanus is less common than you think, and less deadly than you think. About 30 cases per year in the U.S., with about 3 deaths. Children are the least at risk. People over 40 and heroin users are the most at risk.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/tetanus.pdf