Whooping cough vaccine safe for older adults

By MyHealthNewsDaily Staff

The whooping cough vaccine recommended for all adults is safe for those over 65, a new study says.

The results show that the vaccine, called Tdap — which protects against whooping cough (also called pertussis), tetanus and diphtheria —  does not increase the risk of adverse reactions among adults age 65 and older compared to that of the traditional tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, known as Td.

The findings are in agreement with the current recommendation to provide Tdap to adults age 65 and older.

While this recommendation was made in 2010, the vaccine was initially used off label in adults 65 and older, and wasn't licensed for this age group until 2011. The new study was done because published research on the safety of the vaccine in older adults is limited. As more people 65 and over get vaccinated as a result of the new recommendation, evaluation of its safety is essential, the researchers said.

Study researcher Hung Fu Tseng and colleagues at Kaiser Permanente Southern California analyzed information from 119,573 adults ages 65 and over who received the Tdap vaccine between 2006 and 2010, and a similar number of older adults who received the Td vaccine during the same period. The researchers examined the risk for adverse events, such as allergic reactions, for up to 42 days after people received the vaccination.

The risk for adverse events   following the vaccination was about the same for both groups.

Vaccination against pertussis is important in light of  recent outbreaks of the disease in the United States. More cases of whooping cough are expected to occur this year than in any other year since 1959. Infants are most at risk for death from the disease, but they can’t be vaccinated until 2 months of age.

"Pertussis immunization is important, particularly since one of the most common sources of pertussis in infants are  relatives, including grandparents," Tseng said. "We suggest that clinicians follow the CDC's recommendation and talk to older adult patients about vaccination against pertussis to protect themselves and their family members."

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Comment author avatarbret15

Who would ever be crazy enough to get a whooping cough vaccine? Big Pharm and thier MD puppets continue to push these ridiculous drugs on us. This is Lunacy!

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:43 PM EST
Comment author avatareric-2573068

I can't believe you posted this garbage twice. We knew you were ignorant after the first time

    #1.1 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:40 PM EST
    Comment author avatarbret15

    Crib death was so infrequent in the pre-vaccination era that is isn't even mentioned in death statistics. However, deaths started dramatically increasing in the 1950's with the spread of mass vaccinations againt childhood diseases. What an amazing coincidence.

      #1.2 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:16 PM EST
      Comment author avatareric-2573068

      I always wear nikes and have never been attacked by a mountain lion

      What an amazing coincidence

        #1.3 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:21 PM EST
        Comment author avatareric-2573068

        not only that, but infant mortality is a fraction of what it was in the pre-vaccination era, so there goes your theory.

          #1.4 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:22 PM EST
          Reply
          Comment author avatarbret15

          Who would ever get a whooping cough vaccine? Big Pharma and their MD puppets continue to push these ridiculous drugs on the patients with no consequences when they kill thousands of people. This is Lunacy!

            Reply#2 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:47 PM EST
            Comment author avatarMusicGirl23

            My feelings are that they should TEST the older adults to see if they already have immunity. My guess is that most probably had whooping cough as a child. I did, and I'm only 22. The vaccination was ineffective-I had been fully vaccinated but still came down with it at age 4. My older sister did as well, as did most of the neighbourhood kids who were also vaccinated.

              Reply#3 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 11:37 PM EST
              Comment author avatareric-2573068

              couple things

              My feelings are that they should TEST the older adults to see if they already have immunity. My guess is that most probably had whooping cough as a child.

              Previous infection does NOT confer lifelong immunity. Adults still require a booster, whether theyve had the infection, vaccine, or not

              http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/08/whooping-cough-outbreak-cdc-answers-your-questions.html

              The vaccination was ineffective-I had been fully vaccinated but still came down with it at age 4. My older sister did as well, as did most of the neighbourhood kids who were also vaccinated.

              Anecdotes are fairly worthless, and the plural of anecdote is not fact. Furthermore, did you see the test results of yourself at age 4 which confirmed whooping cough? What about your sister? What about your neighbors? Unfortunately, your story is nothing more than gossip, and as such, is about as valuable

                #3.1 - Thu Nov 29, 2012 11:52 PM EST
                Comment author avatarshakalac

                Anecdotes are fairly worthless, and the plural of anecdote is not fact. Furthermore, did you see the test results of yourself at age 4 which confirmed whooping cough? What about your sister? What about your neighbors? Unfortunately, your story is nothing more than gossip, and as such, is about as valuable.

                C'mon, Eric. It's a cited fact that this latest round of whooping cough has hit the previously-vaccinated harder than the unvaccinated. That's why they want everyone to get another booster now.

                So just stop it already.

                  #3.2 - Fri Nov 30, 2012 8:12 AM EST
                  Comment author avatareric-2573068

                  no, you just can't do math. I can explain it to you if you want/respond

                    #3.3 - Fri Nov 30, 2012 4:54 PM EST
                    Reply
                    Comment author avatarfor Bill H

                    MD or Big Pharma do not push; CDC recommends. Have some respect, especially if you are going to be around young ones. Know when you need to protect yourself and your loved ones for Pete shake! There have been thousands cases of pertussis all over the country. This can kill your little ones!

                      Reply#4 - Fri Nov 30, 2012 3:46 AM EST
                      Comment author avatartoo true-2721739

                      i wouldn't exactly call Kaiser's research thorough...it never has been...kaiser is one of the worst health care plans out there

                        Reply#5 - Fri Nov 30, 2012 7:11 AM EST
                        Comment author avatarbiolynx

                        I'm one of the older set and I would never think of having an inoculation for Whooping Cough. How ridiculous! And, for that matter I haven't had an immunization since 1962, when the oral polio first came out and I reacted adversely to it. No thank you! I will continue to take care of myself, in my own way, and hire real professionals to help me when I must. And, that is not someone from the AMA. Most of them are charlatans, quacks or brainwashed drones.

                          Reply#6 - Sat Dec 1, 2012 1:50 PM EST
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