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Glossary of Vaccine-related Terms & Acronyms

CDC uses words, abbreviations, and phrases that may not be familiar to everyone. These resources can help you understand the scientific and technological language on our site.

Glossary of Terms

  • This vaccine-related glossary only contains terms associated with vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. It is maintained by CDC's National Center of Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD).
  • For information about other health issues, see CDC's "Health Topics A-Z".
  • Other CDC glossaries can be found via the CDC Search feature.

General Acronyms & Abbreviations Used on This Site

  • These general acronyms and abbreviations are used throughout the immunizations site. (Also see U.S. vaccine abbreviations below.) UPDATEd Aug 2010
  • Other general acronyms and abbreviations used on the CDC website can be found via the CDC Search feature.

Vaccine Abbreviations and Trade Names

  • Abbreviations in immunization records
    If you're looking for "old" abbreviations used on immunization records, see these vaccine abbreviations. (For example, Td=Adult Tetanus & Diphtheria Vaccine.) UPDATED Sep 2013
  • Standardized U.S. vaccine abbreviations
    U.S. Abbreviations for Vaccines are developed jointly by CDC, ACIP, MMWR, and other subject matter experts. The chart shows the vaccine, abbreviation, and trade name. UPDATED Apr 2013

Foreign Language Immunization Terms

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