Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis were among the first vaccines that were developed:
- diphtheria vaccine – 1888
- first tetanus vaccine – 1914
- first pertussis vaccine – 1915
It wasn’t until 1949 that they were improved and combined into the DTP vaccine though.

A separate Td vaccine was licensed for adults in 1953.
Today, all children get their first dose of the latest DTaP vaccines when they are two months old, completely a three dose primary series by the time they are six months old.
Children get booster doses of DTaP when they are 15 to 18 months old and again at age four to six years.
Remember, we switched to using DTaP in 1997.
A Tdap booster is given at age 11 to 12 years, to adults who have never had it, and with each and every pregnancy.
More on DTP Vaccines
- A Shot at the Dark – DPT vs DTaP
- What Causes Non-Stop Crying After DTaP Vaccines?
- DTaP Vaccine Reactions – Is This Normal?
- Why Are the DPT and OPV Vaccines Still Used in Some Countries?
- About Those Lawsuits That Almost Put Vaccine Manufacturers out of Business
- Are the Tdap and DTaP Vaccines the Same Thing?
- Does Getting the DTaP Vaccine Make You More Susceptible to Pertussis?
- Why is the Tdap Vaccine in Category C?
- Ask the Experts about DTaP Vaccines
- CDC – Diphtheria Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know
- CDC – Pertussis Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know
- CDC – Tetanus Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know
- CDC – DTaP VIS
- CDC – Tdap VIS
- CDC – Td VIS
- DTaP ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
- Tdap/Td ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
- Pinkbook – Diphtheria
- Pinkbook – Pertussis
- Pinkbook – Tetanus
- FDA – Infanrix (package insert)
- FDA – Daptacel (package insert)
- FDA – Pediarix (package insert)
- FDA – Pentacel (package insert)
- FDA – Kinrix (package insert)
- FDA – Quadracel (package insert)
- FDA – Adacel (package insert)
- FDA – Boostrix (package insert)
- A Look at Each Vaccine : DTP
- History of the Diphtheria Vaccines
- History of the Pertussis Vaccines
- History of the Tetanus Vaccines
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