Prevention: Healthcare Personnel

Español: Prevención: Personal médico

Research shows that pertussis can spread in various healthcare settings. These include hospitals and emergency departments serving pediatric and adult patients, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities.

Healthcare personnel who have direct patient contact should receive a single dose of Tdap if they have not previously received one. Tdap can be administered regardless of interval since the previous Td dose. However, shorter intervals between Tdap and last Td may increase the risk of mild local reactogenicity. Healthcare personnel include but are not limited to:

• Physicians, nurses, and other primary care providers
• Emergency medical service personnel
• Therapists and technicians
• Students (e.g., medical, nursing, pharmaceutical)
• Dental personnel
• Social workers
• Chaplains
• Volunteers
• Dietary and clerical workers

Tdap vaccination can protect healthcare personnel against pertussis and help prevent them from spreading it to their patients. Priority should be given to vaccinating healthcare personnel who have direct contact with babies younger than 12 months old.

References

• CDC. Immunization of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR. 2011;60(RR07):1–45.
• CDC. Updated Recommendations for the Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2010. MMWR 2011;60(01):13–15.
• CDC. Preventing Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Among Adults: Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccines. Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and Recommendation of ACIP, supported by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), for the Use of Tdap Among Healthcare Personnel. MMWR 2006;55(RR17):1–33.

Resources for Healthcare Personnel

• Vaccine Information Statements (Td and Tdap)
• Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers
• Pertussis Materials for Healthcare Professionals
• Evaluating Revaccination of Healthcare Personnel