Every day, medicine strives for the latest developments to protect human health. So, one of the most effective and most popular ways to prevent people from getting sick is vaccination. It is customary to give vaccinations in the hospital to children who were born several hours ago. In this article, you will learn how diphtheria vaccination is done for adults. It is also worth getting acquainted with the possible complications of vaccination and learning about absolute contraindications.
Diphtheria vaccine
Adults are rarely given this vaccine. Doctors strongly recommend that the manipulation be performed until the child reaches the age of six. According to the schedule, the vaccine is administered at the age of three, six, twelve and eighteen months. However, if the vaccine has not been received, then an adult can be vaccinated against diphtheria.
Vaccination features
If a person is over six years old, certain conditions must be met when vaccinating. In this case, a drug is introduced that contains components of the following diseases: diphtheria, tetanus. Vaccination for adults, as you see, does not contain pertussis vaccine.
If vaccination is carried out according to the schedule (before the child reaches the age of six), then all three components are administered - whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus.
Vaccination for adults: contraindications
Before administering the vaccine, you must make sure that the person does not have any contraindications. Consider which of them are absolute or temporary.
Allergy or addiction to it
One of the main reasons why you should refuse the introduction of serum is a strong allergy. If you have an exacerbation at the moment, then not a single doctor will allow the vaccination. Also, if you are prone to various allergies, you should refrain from vaccines. An absolute contraindication to vaccination is the probability of a negative reaction to the constituent components.
Patient's disease
Diphtheria vaccine for adults is postponed indefinitely if the person is sick. It can be a cold disease of a viral or bacterial etiology. Also, with exacerbation of chronic pathologies, one should refrain from administering the vaccine. This contraindication is not absolute. Two weeks after your recovery, your doctor will let you enter your serum.
Decreased immunity
Vaccination against diphtheria is not given to adults in the event that a person has reduced immunity. This contraindication is temporary. As soon as the body recovers, vaccination can be carried out.
An absolute contraindication to vaccination is severe immunodeficiency. It is also worth refraining from vaccinating those people who have AIDS.
Neurological abnormalities
Vaccinations against diphtheria for adults may have contraindications in the form of the development of neurological abnormalities. This condition may be absolute or temporary. It all depends on the diagnosis and the severity of the pathology.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Also, vaccination should be abandoned to all expectant mothers and nursing women. Otherwise, a fetus or a newborn baby may be adversely affected. This contraindication is temporary. As soon as a woman gives birth and stops feeding her baby, it will be possible to introduce a protective serum against diphtheria.
Complications after vaccination
Surely everyone knows that vaccination against diphtheria (adults) complications can have different. The most common of these is a normal adverse reaction. In most cases, it does not require any intervention and passes on its own. Sometimes it is necessary to carry out symptomatic treatment, which helps pretty well. But complications can be more serious. In this case, the person will need not only medical assistance, but also hospitalization. So, we will consider what diphtheria vaccine (for adults) has consequences.
Mild complications
This category of consequences includes redness of the injection site. Most often, it passes on its own. But if the size of the cone becomes very large, it is recommended to conduct a course of compresses or take an antihistamine.
Also, in humans, after administration of serum, body temperature may increase . This complication occurs most often. In this case, you need to take an antipyretic and anesthetic. In a few hours, it will become much easier for you.
After vaccination , human behavior can change dramatically. Especially often, this complication occurs in patients with neurological diseases. A person becomes aggressive or, conversely, the reaction becomes dull.
A few hours after the onset of the drug, some patients report severe headache and poor health. In this case, you should take painkillers and relax.
Severe complications
In this category there are two main consequences of vaccination. It is worth noting that if at least one of them occurs, then the vaccination course must be interrupted. In this case, a person has a lifetime absolute contraindication for vaccination against diphtheria.
If, after some time after the administration of serum, a person has a very high temperature, that is, the probability of seizures occurs. If such a pathology occurs, you should immediately call for help.
The second complication is also serious. A person loses consciousness for a while, his speech gets confused and becomes obscure. In this case, we can talk about brain damage. The patient needs urgent care and hospitalization.
Now you know what consequences and complications a diphtheria vaccine given to an adult can have. Always consider contraindications to serum administration before vaccination.
Get vaccinated on time and don't get sick!