The purpose of this statement is to review the literature relevant to the 4- to 6-year-old preschool booster immunization and provide updated recommendations as required. Current recommendations for the 4- to 6-year-old preschool booster include additional doses of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and polio containing vaccine (DTaP-IPV or Tdap-IPV). These four components are usually given as a single injection. In Canada there are products approved for use that contain either a lower concentration of pertussis and diphtheria [Tdap-IPV (Adacel®-Polio, Boostrix®-Polio)] or higher concentration of pertussis and diphtheria [DTaP-IPV (Quadracel®, InfanrixTM-IPV)]. According to the Canadian Immunization Guide (CIG), products with either higher or lower concentration of can be used between 4 and 6 years old. (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/cig-gci/p04-pert-coqu-eng.php)
In January 2012, there was an impending shortage of Quadracel® which prompted a review of other currently available vaccines that could serve as alternatives to Quadracel®.
The question NACI investigated and answers in this statement is:
Should there be a preferential recommendation for either low or high concentration pertussis product for children at 4-6 years of age?
- Recommendation
- Americas
- Canada
- Pertussis
