Decavac

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Decavac, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication. 

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Decavac falls into category C. No studies have been conducted in animals, and no well-controlled studies have been done in pregnant women. Decavac should only be given to a pregnant woman if clearly needed. 

Decavac is a vaccine given by a healthcare provider as a shot into the upper arm.

In the U.S.

• Decavac
• Tenivac

Available Dosage Forms:

• Suspension

Therapeutic Class: Vaccine

In deciding to use a vaccine, the risks of taking the vaccine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this vaccine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids Vaccine for Pediatric Use in children 7 years of age and older. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Decavac® vaccine in children younger than 7 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of Decavac® vaccine have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date.

Pregnancy

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this vaccine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Receiving this vaccine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Meningococcal Vaccine, Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate Quadrivalent

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this vaccine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergic reaction to a tetanus vaccine (eg, Arthus-type reaction) or
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (nerve disease that causes paralysis) after a tetanus vaccine, history of—Your doctor will decide if you should receive this vaccine.

• Immunodeficiency disorder (low blood counts for white cells or platelets) or
• Weakened immune system—May not work as well in patients with these conditions.

It is very important that you or your child return to your doctor’s office at the right time for the next dose. Be sure to notify your doctor of any unwanted effects that occur after you receive the vaccine.

If you or your child develop a skin rash, hives, or any allergic reaction after receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor right away.

Tell your doctor right away if you or your child are allergic to latex rubber. The prefilled syringes or bottle of vaccine may contain natural rubber latex. This may cause an allergic reaction in patients who are sensitive to latex.

This vaccine will not treat an active infection. If you or your child have an infection due to diphtheria or tetanus, you will need medicine to treat the infection.

Applies to diphtheria toxoid / tetanus toxoid: intramuscular suspension

Along with its needed effects, diphtheria toxoid / tetanus toxoid may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking diphtheria toxoid / tetanus toxoid:

• Fever
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• unusual tiredness or weakness

• Bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
• chills
• convulsions
• cough
• difficulty with swallowing
• dizziness
• fainting
• fast heartbeat
• hives
• itching
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rapid weight gain
• shortness of breath
• skin rash
• swelling or puffiness of the face
• swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
• tightness in the chest
• tingling of the hands or feet
• unusual weight gain or loss
• wheezing

Some side effects of diphtheria toxoid / tetanus toxoid may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Hard lumps, redness, tenderness, or warmth at the injection site

• Headache

• Difficulty with moving
• joint pain
• lack or loss of strength
• muscle aching or cramping
• muscle stiffness
• nausea
• pain in the arms or legs
• swollen joints
• vomiting

7 years and older:
Primary Immunization:
2 doses of 0.5 mL IM 4 to 6 weeks apart followed by a third dose of 0.5 mL after 6 to 12 months later.
Booster Immunization:
Children 11 to 12 years: A single dose when at least 5 years have elapsed since last dose of toxoid containing vaccine.

Tetanus prophylaxis in wound management:
Use of tetanus toxoid (DT or Td) and/or tetanus immune globulin (TIG) depends upon the number of prior tetanus toxoid (TT) doses and type of wound: A single 0.5 mL dose IM:
Clean, minor wounds:
Prior number of tetanus toxoid doses is unknown or less than 3: DT or Td or Tdap
Prior number of tetanus toxoid doses is 3 or more: Td only if more than 10 years since last dose
If only three doses of fluid tetanus toxoid have been received, a fourth dose of toxoid, preferably an adsorbed toxoid, should be given.
All other wounds:
Prior number of tetanus toxoid doses is unknown or less than 3: DT or Td or Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, accel) and TIG (tetanus immune globulin)
Prior number of tetanus toxoid doses is 3 or more: Td only if more than 5 years since last dose.

Use of combined antigen immunization (DT, Td, or DTaP - diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, accel) is preferred. Use tetanus and diphtheria toxoids formulation based upon age; use pediatric preparations (DT or DTaP) if the patient is less than 7 years old and Td if 7 years or older. Tdap is preferred in adolescents 10 years or older and adults who have never received Tdap. Td is preferred to TT in adolescents 10 years or older and adults who received Tdap previously or when Tdap is not available. If TT and TIG are both used, tetanus toxoid (adsorbed) rather than tetanus toxoid (fluid) should be used.

Data not available

Tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td) has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have not been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td) is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.