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Diphtheria

Diphtheria is spread by coughing and sneezing. It causes a sore throat, low-grade fever, and can completely clog a person's airway. Diphtheria can cause breathing and heart problems, coma, paralysis, and death.

Symptoms include:

• The gradual onset of a sore throat.
• A low-grade fever.
• Weakness.
• Enlarged lymph nodes of the neck.

Scientific Term

• Diphtheria

Generic Term

• Diphtheria

Age Groups at Risk

• All

Fact Sheets

• Diphtheria In-Short (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Vaccine Information

Ages birth to seven: DTaP or DT Vaccine

• Kids should be immunized in the first 18 months of life with a four-shot series of the combination vaccine, DTaP. It includes diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Kids who get all four doses before their fourth birthday should get a fifth dose before starting kindergarten or elementary school. The fifth dose isn't necessary if the fourth dose was given on or after the fourth birthday. This combination vaccine is not given to people over age seven.
DT vaccine is available for kids under seven who can't tolerate the pertussis (whooping cough) component.

Ages 10 and up: Tdap or Td Vaccine

• One dose of Tdap vaccine is recommended for adolescents aged 11 or 12 years in place of one Td booster. Kids in Grades 6 or 7 who are at least 11 years old are required to show proof of Tdap vaccination if it has been five years since they got a tetanus-containing vaccine (DTaP, DT, or Td). One dose of Tdap vaccine is also recommended for older adolescents aged 13-18 years and adults aged 19 through 64 years.

• Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Multiple Vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• There is no separate Vaccine Information Statement for combination vaccines. For patients getting Pediarix, give the Vaccine Information Statements for DTaP, Hepatitis B, and IPV.
• Td/Tdap (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Related Information

Department of Health:

• Notifiable Conditions: Diphtheria

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Diphtheria Vaccination

  Last Update: 01/09/2012 02:51 PM