From measles to influenza, here are eight vaccines adults should discuss with their doctor.
Often, is centered on children – as vaccines are still believed by some to cause autism, though studies have disproved this link – but the recent resurgence of measles, whooping cough and other diseases has highlighted the value of vaccinations for adults as well.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 644 in 2014, the largest number of confirmed cases since the disease was officially eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. And in 2012, 48,277 people developed whooping cough, the highest number seen since 1955.
“It is extremely important for adults to be current with their vaccines,” says Dr. Richard Smith, an infectious disease specialist and director of infection control at TriCity Medical Center in Oceanside, California. “By doing so, not only are they protecting themselves from disease but also protecting other adults and children that may be at risk.”
Most adults should discuss the following eight vaccines with their doctor.
MMR vaccine. MMR stands for measles, mumps and rubella, and the consequences of these viral diseases can be great.
Measles – so contagious you can get it just by being in a room with an infected person – can cause brain damage, seizures or even death, and can make pregnant women vulnerable to spontaneous miscarriage and .
“Adults with measles are at an increased risk of mortality,” says Dr. Chesda Eng, a primary care physician at St. Joseph Heritage Medical Group in Tustin, California. According to the CDC, more than 175 people in the U.S. – many of whom were unvaccinated – have acquired measles since the start of the year.
Mumps was once the leading cause of meningitis (an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and hearing loss in the U.S. before the vaccine’s arrival. It can also lead to sterility in men. Serious complications of mumps are seen more frequently in adults than children, Eng says.
Adults with rubella, also known as German measles, tend to and can develop brain infections and bleeding problems, while pregnant women are at risk for miscarriage or severe birth defects such as hearing and vision loss, mental retardation and heart defects.
Smith suggests that folks born after 1956 ages 18 and up get at least one dose of MMR vaccine, unless they can show that they have either been vaccinated or had all three diseases. Eng adds that adults who were given a killed vaccine or an unknown vaccine type between 1963 and 1967 should get revaccinated as the killed measles vaccine from this period was ineffective. Other recommended groups include college students, health care workers and international travelers.
There are, of course, exceptions. Those who should not get the vaccine include pregnant women or those considering getting pregnant within the next 28 days; people with compromised immune systems, including those who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer or have HIV/AIDS; and folks who are allergic to any component of the vaccine or had a life-threatening reaction to a previous dose.
Tdap vaccine. Tdap protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Tetanus enters the body through a cut or scratch, while diphtheria and whooping cough spread through secretions from sneezing or coughing.
Tetanus, caused by poison-producing bacteria, can result in painful muscle tightening, particularly a locked jaw that can prevent a person from breathing or swallowing. Ten percent of people with tetanus die from the disease despite receiving medical care.
Diphtheria, another poison-producing bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system, causes a thick coating in the back of the throat, which can block a person’s airway and impair breathing. It can also lead to swelling of the heart muscle and possible heart failure. Other potential effects include paralysis, coma and death.
Whooping cough is a respiratory tract infection characterized by coughing – sometimes so severe it can cause cracked ribs – and choking that can last for weeks. Babies, who often get this bacterial disease from an adult, can suffer greatly, facing hospitalization and potential death if infected. Last year, more than 28,000 cases of whooping cough were reported to the CDC.
Adults 19 and older who have not received the vaccine should get it, along with all pregnant women. Subsequent tetanus doses should be administered at 10-year intervals throughout adulthood, Eng says.
“A person who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction after a previous dose of any diphtheria, tetanus or pertussis-containing vaccine, or has a severe allergy to any part of this vaccine, should not get the Tdap vaccine,” says Dr. Angela Tonozzi, system director of infection prevention for Wisconsin-based Aurora Health Care. The same can be said for folks who were in a coma or suffered from repeated seizures within seven days after a childhood dose of DTP or DTaP (vaccines that also fight tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis).