Three Studies on Prevention in Today's Annals of Internal Medicine
Many U.S. Adults Are Not Protected Against Diphtheria and Tetanus
Overall, only 60.5 percent of Americans were fully protected against diphtheria and 72.3 percent against tetanus in the period from 1988 to 1994, an analysis of data from a large national study found (Article, p. 660). Older people were much less likely to have immunity than younger people. Among 70 year olds, only 29.5 percent were immune to diphtheria and 31.0 percent to tetanus. Mexican-American adults were less likely to have immunity than other ethnic groups. People living at the poverty level were less likely to be immune to diphtheria than the wealthy.
Both diseases are rare in the United States, where infants and children are routinely immunized. However, both are more common in some parts of the world, and tetanus is highly fatal. If immunity is not maintained in the overall population, infections can re-emerge, as they have in the Soviet Union.
The study authors say that adults should have booster doses of tetanus and diphtheria toxoid every 10 yearThey call uponphysicians make these immunizations a routine part of patient care.
Annual Physical: Not Medically Necessary but May Be Useful<
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Contact: Penny Fuller
pfuller@mail.acponline.org
215-351-2656
American College of Physicians
6-May-2002