Four Seasons Pharmacist says | Whooping cough, back off, back off! Vaccination is a powerful preventive measure!

Cough, cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough! The baby can't stop coughing, and his face and lips turn red and blue, and he breathes in like a crowing chicken. Parents and friends should be alert when encountering this kind of situation, because it may be whooping cough!

In recent years, the incidence of whooping cough in children has increased year by year, which has attracted wide attention from all walks of life. Immunization measures for infants and young children are an important means of preventing whooping cough. Yaowa will take you to understand several key issues of whooping cough vaccination.

Question 1: What vaccine can prevent whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis, which often causes epidemics. Infants under 1 year old are at high risk of developing whooping cough. Its characteristic symptoms are frequent paroxysmal spasmodic coughs, which can last for 2 to 3 months and seriously affect the patient's quality of life. Newborns and infants under 6 months old may develop serious complications after infection.

For whooping cough, vaccination is the most economical and effective measure. At present, the vaccines used in my country to prevent whooping cough are:
(1) Absorbed acellular diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus combined vaccine (DPT triple vaccine);

(2) Acellular diphtheria, pertussis and haemophilus influenzae type b combined vaccine (DTP quadruple vaccine);

(3) Adsorbed acellular diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus inactivated poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (combined) combined vaccine (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus pentavalent vaccine).

Question 2: How should I choose among these three vaccines?

The DTP (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) vaccine is an immunization program vaccine and belongs to Class I vaccine, which means it is provided free of charge to citizens by the government and can simultaneously prevent diseases caused by infection with three pathogens: pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus.

The DTP quadrivalent and pentavalent vaccines are non-immunisation program vaccines and belong to the second category of vaccines, which means that the public is vaccinated at their own expense. Compared with the trivalent vaccine, the quadrivalent and pentavalent vaccines can prevent more diseases with one vaccination, reducing the total number of vaccinations.

Whether it is an immunization program vaccine or a non-immunization program vaccine, its effectiveness and safety have been verified for a long time. Parents can choose according to the local epidemic situation of infectious diseases, economic conditions, vaccine accessibility, and willingness to vaccinate.

Question 3: They are both DTP vaccines, so are the vaccination procedures the same?

The DTP vaccine requires 5 doses, with 1 dose each at 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, and 18 months of age, and 1 dose of DTP vaccine (diphtheria and tetanus vaccines, excluding pertussis vaccine) at 6 years of age.

The vaccination schedule for the DPT quadrivalent vaccine is 3 doses for basic immunization at 3-4-5 months of age, and 1 dose for booster immunization at 18-24 months of age.

The starting age for DTP5 vaccine can be advanced to 2 months, that is, 3 basic immunizations are completed at 2-3-4 months of age, and 1 booster immunization is performed at 18 months of age. Regardless of the vaccine, when it is administered at the vaccination site, the medical staff will inform the confirmed time of the next vaccination.

Question 4: Can I rest assured after receiving the DTP vaccine?

Attention! Even if you have received the DTP vaccine, you can still get whooping cough.

Reason 1: Immunity generated after vaccination declines. Usually, the level of protective antibodies decreases 3 to 5 years after vaccination, and the antibodies almost disappear after 12 years. If there is a whooping cough epidemic, susceptible people still need to be vaccinated.

Reason 2: The population evolution and mutation of Bordetella pertussis makes it more susceptible to immune escape.

Pertussis is contagious from the incubation period to 6 weeks after onset. Adolescents and adults are the main sources of pertussis infection in infants and young children. Infants and young children who have not received a full course of DTP vaccination should receive medication or emergency vaccination within 21 days after exposure (if possible within 1 to 2 weeks after exposure).

Question 5: In what situations should we be cautious when getting vaccinated?

(1) Children with moderate or severe illnesses, including acute infectious diseases (including those in the recovery period) and those with fever should postpone vaccination.

(2) If it is known that any of the following situations may be temporarily related to vaccination, it is necessary to carefully decide whether to further receive a pertussis-containing vaccine: collapse or shock-like symptoms (hypotonia and hyporesponsiveness) within 48 hours after vaccination; persistent and inconsolable crying for more than 3 hours within 48 hours after vaccination; convulsions with or without fever within 3 days after vaccination.

Vaccination is a powerful weapon to prevent whooping cough. Only by following a scientific and reasonable immunization program can the vaccine's immune preventive effect be fully exerted.