Question

How many doses are scheduled for the vaccine DTP?
(a) 2
(b) 1
(c) 5
(d) 4

Answer 1

Hint: DTP refers to the combination of vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans that are diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. All these are infectious diseases that are caused by bacteria.

Complete answer:
In DTP, D stands for diphtheria, T stands for tetanus, and P stands for pertussis. All three diseases are caused by bacteria. DTP vaccine is given in a series of 5 injections usually at given ages:
-2 months
-4 months
-6 months
-15-18 months
- 4-6 years
This vaccine can also cause mild side effects including fever, tiredness, swelling in the area where the vaccine was administered in the body, and loss of appetite. This vaccine contains dead bacteria which means it is an inactive vaccine and the dead germs would not make anyone sick. For children, 5 doses of the vaccine are recommended.
Dtp vaccine is only given to children below 7 years of age. If in any case adolescents and adults still need protection from tetanus or diphtheria then a booster dose is recommended at 11-12 years of age and then every 10 years.

Additional information:
The DTP vaccine protects against:
-Diphtheria: It is a very serious infectious disease that can block air passage and cause difficulty in breathing.
-Tetanus: It is a disease related to the nerve and is caused by toxin-producing bacteria that contaminate a wound.
-Pertussis: It is also known as whooping cough and is a respiratory illness with symptoms that are similar to the common cold but this may lead to severe coughing. Infants are most vulnerable to this disease.

So the correct answer is ‘5'.

Note:
Other associated vaccines comprise the DT and Td vaccines, which lack the pertussis part. The Td vaccine is given to children over the age of seven and also to adults. It is most generally given as a booster shot every 10 years. The Td booster shot could also be given as defence from a severe burn or dirty wound. DTaP is a newer version of the vaccine DTP. DTaP causes fewer side effects than DTP and is a comparatively safer version of the old vaccine DTP.