diphtheria + tetanus + whole-cell pertussis

A combination vaccine for the prevention of three serious bacterial diseases: **diphtheria**, **tetanus**, and **pertussis (whooping cough)**. This formulation contains diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and killed whole cells of *Bordetella pertussis*, generating immune protection by inducing antibody responses against the toxins (for diphtheria and tetanus) and bacterial cell components (for pertussis). The "whole-cell" pertussis component (wP) confers high efficacy but is associated with higher rates of adverse reactions compared to "acellular" pertussis formulations (aP). Historically, DTwP was used globally for routine childhood immunization, with the United States and many other countries switching mostly to acellular (DTaP) formulations since the mid-1990s due to safety considerations. The vaccine is indicated primarily for use in infants and children under 7 years of age. It is administered intramuscularly as part of a multi-dose series for primary and booster immunization[4][1].

Brand names

Triple AntigenDTP vaccine

Other names

DPT vaccinediphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccineDTwP vaccinewhole-cell DTPwhole-cell DPT