Information about Teenage vaccines: Recommended vaccines and the diseases they prevent

Information about Teenage vaccines: Recommended vaccines and the diseases they prevent

 

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) – HPV is a common virus, and can be sexually transmitted.  It is most common in people in their teens and early 20s, and is a major cause of cervical cancer.  The HPV vaccine protects against the strains of the virus that cause genital warts and cervical changes that can lead to cancer.  The vaccine, originally recommended for girls, is now recommended for both girls and boys; the vaccine should be given before a teen or young adult becomes sexually active.  The HPV vaccine is given as a three dose series, and can be started as young as 11-12 years old.

Meningococcal disease (a common cause of bacterial meningitis) – Meningococcal meningitis is a very serious infection of the lining around the brain and spinal cord.  It can cause death, and it is a bacteria commonly seen in outbreaks of meningitis on college campuses.  Meningococcal bloodstream infections can also occur, and can cause loss of an arm or leg and even death.  The meningococcal conjugate vaccine protects against these infections, and it is given as a two dose series.  The first dose is recommended at 11-12 years old, with a second dose at 15-17 years old.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough) – Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection with a prolonged cough that can last for several months.  It is very serious and can cause worse infections in young infants.  The pertussis vaccine is given together with a tetanus shot; the combination is commonly referred to as the Tdap vaccine.   Children should receive a single dose of Tdap at age 11-12.

Pertussis

What is Pertussis?


 Pertussis, or whooping cough, is caused by a bacterial infection. The disease occurs in three stages. The first stage appears similar to the common cold, with runny nose, low grade fever and a cough. After 1-2 weeks, the second stage begins, where the cough worsens, may be accompanied by coughing spells or "fits" and the cough may be followed by a large intake of air, or a "whoop" noise. Infants can be severely affected, and may turn blue during coughing spells due to lack of oxygen. This second stage can last up to two months. During the final stage, which can also last weeks or months, coughing spells will gradually decrease in frequency and intensity. Pertussis used to be called the "100-day cough" because of how long the cough lasted.

 There is a vaccine to prevent pertussis - DTaP for young children and Tdap for adolescents and adults. DTaP vaccine is usually given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age, with a booster at 15-18 months of age and at 4-5 years of age. Immunity can decrease over time, and a booster is recommended again at 11-12 years of age.
Young infants under 6 months of age, especially if they have not received all three doses of DTaP, are particularly vulnerable to severe infection and are at higher risk of needing hospitalization if they contract pertussis. 


 Approximately 15-20 babies die in the United States every year from pertussis. Almost all are younger than 4 months of age - too early to have been fully protected by the DTaP vaccine. Because young babies get sick from pertussis and because they are not fully protected until they have had several doses of the vaccine, healthcare providers recommend that older children and adults who will be around newborns be protected; this is known as cocooning. Mothers should request the Tdap vaccine between 27-36 weeks of gestational age during each pregnancy, or before leaving the hospital if they did not receive Tdap during pregnancy.