Tetanus & Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine

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Why in News?

Recently, the Union Health Minister launched the indigenously manufactured Td vaccine in Kasauli.

Td vaccine offers protection against two diseases – Tetanus and Diphtheria.
Aim – To minimise side effects in older children and adults, compared to the high-dose version (D) used for infants.

The diphtheria disease is caused by the same bacteria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) across all ages.

Component – Contains Tetanus antigen and a lower concentration of diphtheria antigen (d).
Developed by – Central Research Institute (CRI), Himachal Pradesh.
Coverage – Td Vaccine introduced for supply under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
- UIP covers 11 vaccines against 12 diseases.
Benefits – Dual Protection – Protects against both tetanus and diphtheria, unlike Tetanus Toxoid (TT).
Diphtheria Control – Prevents diphtheria resurgence and maintains long-term immunity after childhood Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT) vaccination.
Applicability – Safe for pregnant women and older adults.
Recommendation – The WHO recommended replacing TT with Td in 2006.
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), recommended replacing TT with Td in India’s immunisation programme for all age groups, including pregnant women.
- 133 countries have replaced TT with the Td vaccine.

Tetanus Toxoid (TT) Vaccine

The TT vaccine contains the inactivated tetanus toxin (tetanus toxoid) of Clostridium tetani.
Immune Action – Stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that neutralise tetanus toxins.
Beneficiaries – Used for infants, children, adults, pregnant women, and injured persons.
Neonatal Prevention – Immunisation of women of childbearing age to prevent neonatal tetanus.
Booster – Given every 10 years or after high-risk injury if last dose was more than 5 years ago.

Diphtheria & Tetanus

Features	Tetanus	Diphtheria
Caused by	Clostridium tetani (Bacteria).	Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Bacteria).
Transmission	Enters the body through cuts or wounds (not contagious).	Spreads from person to person.
Symptoms	Painful tightening of muscles all over the body. Serious problems like inability to open mouth, trouble swallowing and breathing, or death.	Affects the upper respiratory tract and, less often, the skin. Thick covering in the back of the throat. Can cause breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure and death in severe cases.
Treatment	It includes hospital care and immediate treatment with medicine called human tetanus immune globulin (TIG). Tetanus vaccination is needed since recovery doesn’t give natural immunity, so reinfection is possible.	Treatment for diphtheria includes antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria.
Prevention	A vaccine-preventable disease can be given in combination with other vaccines, such as Diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).	A vaccine-preventable disease can be given in combination with other vaccines such as tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae b and polio.

India’s Disease burden – Tetanus – India eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015, but constant vaccination is still required to prevent sporadic cases from soil-borne spores.
Diphtheria – According to the National Health Profile (NHP), diphtheria cases in India surged from 1,586 in 2020 to 3,677 in 2021, with 10 states accounting for 84% of the burden.
- This resurgence was noticed among older children and adolescents due to waning immunity.

Reference