Committee on Infectious Diseases: Acellular Pertussis Vaccine: An Update on Recommendations for Use as the Fourth and Fifth Doses

Following licensure of the first acellular pertussis vaccine (ACEL-IMUNE, Lederle-Praxis Biologicals) in the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued in 1992 its recommendations for the use of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) for the fourth and fifth doses of pertussis vaccination.¹ A second DTaP product (Tripedia, Connaught Laboratories) subsequently was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for similar indications. While these two licensed vaccines differ in their formulation of pertussis antigens (Table), their safety and efficacy in prevention of disease are similar.^1,2