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Infectious disease

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Prevention of diphtheria

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024

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The main importance in the prevention of diphtheria is active immunization - vaccination against diphtheria. To this end, diphtheria toxoid is used, which is a diphtheria toxin lacking toxic properties, adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide (AD-toxoid). In practical work, AD-toxoid is not used in isolated form, it is part of the so-called complex vaccines.

DTP vaccine consists of a mixture of corpuscular pertussis vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus toxoid. One vaccine dose of such a vaccine (0.5 ml) contains at least 30 international immunizing units (MIE) of purified diphtheria toxoid (15 LF), at least 60 MIE (5 EU) purified tetanus toxoid and 10 billion killed pertussis microbial cells. As a preservative used Merthiolate (1:10 000). The vaccine may contain trace amounts of formaldehyde and aluminum hydroxide.
ADS-anatoxin is purified and adsorbed diphtheria and tetanus toxoid. One vaccination dose contains at least 3 MIE diphtheria toxoid and at least 40 MIE tetanus toxoid. Other components are the same as in the DTP vaccine.
ADS-M-anatoxin differs from the previous vaccine with a reduced content of antigens - in one inoculation dose (0.5 ml) contains 5 LF diphtheria toxoid and 5 EC tetanus toxoid.

There are practically no contraindications to vaccination against diphtheria. In children with mild manifestations of acute respiratory viral infection, vaccination can begin immediately after the normalization of temperature, and with moderate and severe acute infectious diseases - 2 weeks after recovery. In all other cases, including patients with chronic diseases of the liver, kidneys, lungs, as well as patients with hemoblastoses and immunodeficiencies, the vaccination is carried out during the remission period under the supervision of the doctor of the immunization cabinet under individual schemes.

Of other means of prevention, anti-epidemic measures are important - hospitalization of patients and sanitation of bacterial carriers, quarantine measures and disinfection in the outbreak. Epidemiological surveillance includes monitoring the state of specific immunity in the population, as well as sources of infection, detection of bacterial carriers, etc.

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