Acellular pertussis vaccine for adolescents

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When do children in Canada receive the pertussis vaccine?

• The pertussis vaccine is given to all Canadian children in a series of six injections.

• The first four injections are part of the five-in-one vaccine that children receive at two months, four months, six months and 18 months of age. The fifth one is given at preschool age (four to six years of age).

• The final pertussis vaccine is a recent addition to the schedule and is now given as a single shot. It is combined with the diphtheria-tetanus booster that is given at around 15 years of age.

What is pertussis?

Pertussis is also called whooping cough. It is caused by germs (bacteria) that get into the throat and lungs. It used to kill many young children. Children may cough so long and so hard that they can’t breathe. Children who get whooping cough will have two to three weeks of severe coughing spells. In total, the disease can last from six to 12 weeks.

Why do teenagers need this vaccine?

Recently, many teenagers have been getting whooping cough because the protection from their baby shots has worn off. The sixth dose of pertussis vaccine will help prevent teenagers from getting whooping cough.

How is pertussis spread?

Pertussis is spread when an infected person coughs. Pertussis germs from the person’s mouth and nose are spread into the air and other people breathe them in. If you are not protected against pertussis through vaccination, you can become ill with whooping cough.

You’re more likely to get whooping cough if you are in close contact with someone who has the disease. Pertussis often spreads among family members, in schools and in other situations where there is very close contact between people.

Can pertussis cause bigger problems?

• Older children, teenagers and adults may cough so hard that they break a rib, get a hernia or collapse a lung.

• Whooping cough can cause many more problems than just severe coughing. Babies with whooping cough may have fits (seizures) and may go into a coma. Infants under one year of age usually have to be hospitalized.

• One of 400 of babies who get whooping cough will end up with brain damage and one of 100 will die.

How safe is the acellular pertussis vaccine?

• The acellular pertussis vaccine is very safe.

• The only teenagers who should not get the acellular pertussis vaccine combined with the diphtheria and tetanus vaccine are those who had trouble breathing or had severe swelling of the skin or mouth when they received the five-in-one or four-in-one shots.

• The vaccine should also be delayed if the teenager had a diphtheria-tetanus vaccine within the past five years.

• With any vaccine, there may be some redness, swelling or pain at the place where the needle went into the arm or leg.

• Some teenagers will have a fever after they get the shot. Ask your doctor what you can do to control the fever or pain.

• If you have more questions about the pertussis-diphtheria-tetanus vaccine, ask your doctor.

Where can I get the vaccine?

The vaccine is available from your paediatrician or family physician, but it is not covered by all provincial and territorial health plans. That means that, at least for now, you may have to pay for it, depending on where you live.

Talk to your paediatrician or family doctor if you have more questions about this vaccine.

For more information about vaccines in Canada, read Your Child’s Best Shot: A Parent’s Guide to Vaccination, published by the Canadian Paediatric Society, or visit <www.caringforkids.cps.ca> or <www.cps.ca>.