Adacel Vaccine for Pertussis

Pertussis Facts
Pertussis Symptoms and Complications
Tetanus and Diphtheria Information

Parents and family members are the primary source of pertussis transmission to vulnerable infants²

Talk to parents about the threat pertussis poses to their families, and how immunization with Tdap vaccine can help protect them

It is estimated that up to 3.3 million cases of pertussis occur each year in adults and adolescents in the United States¹
Studies show that when the source can be identified, family members are the source of transmission in up to 83% of infant cases²

International multicenter study of 91 families²

Source cases were identified for 44 infants and described by relationship to the infant, age, and household status²

With a household attack rate reaching 90% to 100%, pertussis is highly contagious^3,7

Despite CDC^b recommendations, only 6% of adults reported receiving Tdap vaccine from 2005 through 2008^3,4

Immunization with Tdap vaccine may help protect adults and adolescents against pertussis, and help reduce the risk of transmission to vulnerable infants^3,5

^a Tdap = Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis.
^b CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Discussion guide
Download this guide to help you talk to your patients, especially those in close contact with infants, about pertussis and immunization with Tdap vaccine.

Family transmission
Download this study to learn more about how parents and family members can pass the disease to vulnerable infants.

Adults

Eligible adults 19 through 64 years of age should receive a single booster dose of Tdap vaccine to replace a single dose of Td vaccine for active booster immunization against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

Adolescents

The CDC recommends that eligible adolescents 11 through 18 years of age receive a single booster dose of Tdap vaccine, with a preferred age of 11 to 12 years.

Health-care professionals

Eligible health-care professionals who have direct contact with infants <12 months of age, as well as those in hospital or ambulatory-care settings, should receive a single booster dose of Tdap vaccine.

Infant caretakers

The CDC recommends that adults who have or who anticipate having close contact with an infant <12 months of age (eg, parents, grandparents <65 years of age, child-care providers, and health-care personnel) should receive a single booster dose of Tdap to reduce the risk of transmitting pertussis. An interval as short as 2 years from the last Td is suggested; shorter intervals can be used.

Pregnant women

When possible, eligible women should receive Tdap before becoming pregnant. Women who have not previously received Tdap should receive a dose of Tdap in the immediate postpartum period.

Hear the pertussis cough (00:10 sec)

Parents and family members are the primary source of pertussis transmission to vulnerable infants2

Despite CDCb recommendations, only 6% of adults reported receiving Tdap vaccine from 2005 through 20083,4