Diphtheria Vaccination

One of the Recommended Vaccines by Disease

Vaccines are available that can help prevent diphtheria, an infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. There are four kinds of vaccines used today to protect against diphtheria, all of which are combined with vaccines for other diseases:

• Diphtheria and tetanus (DT) vaccines
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines
• Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccines
• Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines

Diphtheria vaccination is recommended for all babies, children, teens, and adults. DTaP and DT are given to children younger than 7 years old, while Tdap and Td are given to older children and adults.

Talk with your or your child’s healthcare professional if you have questions about diphtheria vaccines.