Health Topic

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccines

This page will teach you about combinations of vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. Find out who should get which vaccine and at what age to start.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: DTaP · DTaP/Tdap/Td · Td · Td vaccination booster · Tdap · Tetanus booster

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccines

Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) are serious bacterial infections:

  • Tetanus is an uncommon disease that requires immediate treatment in a hospital. It causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to "locking" of the jaw.
  • Diphtheria usually affects the nose and throat. But it can also affect the skin and other body parts.
  • Whooping cough can cause uncontrollable coughing fits. It may begin like a cold, but unlike a cold, the coughing can last for weeks or months.

Vaccines can protect you from these diseases. In the U.S., there are three combination vaccines:

  • DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) prevents all three diseases. It is for babies and children under age 7. There are several different DTaP vaccines. Some of them also protect against other diseases.
  • Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) also prevents all three diseases. It is for older children and adults.
  • Td (tetanus and diphtheria) prevents those two diseases. It is for older children and adults. It is usually given as a booster dose every 10 years. You may also get it after 5 years if you get a severe or dirty wound or burn.

Some people should not get these vaccines, including those who have had severe reactions to the shots before. Check with your health care provider first if you have seizures, a neurologic problem, or Guillain-Barre syndrome.

People with minor illnesses such as a cold can get vaccinated. But those who are more ill may need wait until they feel better before getting some vaccines.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

It sits within Immune System.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccines

290 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Related Issues

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines, Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine, Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccines, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.