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ADULT VACCINES
ADULT VACCINES
ANCHOR LEAD: ADULTS NEED VACCINE BOOSTERS, ELIZABETH TRACEY REPORTS
More and more adolescents and adults have been developing pertussis, or whooping cough, prompting federal officials to assess whether booster vaccines for these populations is appropriate. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes it is. Diane Griffin, professor of public health and a vaccine expert at Johns Hopkins, agrees.GRIFFIN: That is an important new use of a vaccine that is normally given to infants. It's important because the immune response declines with age, in fact most cases of tetanus in the United States in older individuals so the definitely need to be boosted and recently there have been problems with pertussis which is whooping cough in adults as well. :25
The study administered a single injection of the combination vaccine against tetanus, diptheria and pertussis, and found a robust response in most people. The same vaccine is routinely given to infants and children.
At the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, I'm Elizabeth Tracey reporting.
