What is the difference between DTaP and Tdap?

Tdap, which is also known as Adacel, and DTaP, which can also be referred to as Daptacel, are two vaccines that are made to fight against tetanus, pertussis, and diphtheria. The major factor that forms the difference between these two vaccines is the age group of patients that they can be administered to. The major constituents of DTaP are tetanus and diphtheria toxoids.

Another substance contained in the DTaP is an acellular pertussis vaccine. This vaccine is administered to the age group between the infants and preschoolers, which is between the ages of six weeks to six years. Conversely, when it comes to the case of Tdap, the vaccine is particularly administered to adolescents and adults.

The constituents of Tdap also include diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and an acellular vaccine of pertussis. Though both DTaP and Tdap contain almost the same amount of tetanus toxoids, the DTaP vaccine has more diphtheria toxoids and pertussis antigens in it compared to the Tdap vaccine.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection that occurs in the respiratory tract. Though it is rare and mainly occurs in infants, there are two vaccines to help prevent it. The first is DTAP. This vaccine is meant for infants and children. Any child younger than 11 would use this type of vaccine. DTAP is carried out through 5 shots.

The shots start as early as the child is 8 weeks old. The second type of vaccine is TDAP. This vaccine is for everyone that is 11 and older. This vaccine is carried out through one booster shot and is given to those who did not get the shots when they are younger.

DTaP and Tdap are the names for vaccines that are used to fight against diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. One of the major differences between DTaP and Tdap is that the two vaccines are available for people of certain age category. DTaP is meant for children that is those in the range of six weeks up to six years.

Tdap, on the other hand, is meant for adolescents and adults. Although both DTaP and Tdap are made of diphtheria, tetanus toxoids and an acellular vaccine of pertussis, the former contains more diphtheria toxoids and pertussis antigens than the latter. Unlike Tdap that is administered once to adolescents and adults, DTaP is not administered once to children. The injection of DTaP is done in the anterolateral area of their thin muscles for children, whereas the injection of Tdap is done in the deltoid muscle for older children, adolescents and adults.