Active immunisation

Active immunisation refers to the induction by vaccination of the patients own antibodies against tetanus neurotoxin. The patient is vaccinated with a substance that is biologically inactive and yet resembles the tetanus neurotoxin sufficiently so that antibodies developed against the vaccine will cross react with the real neurotoxin should it ever appear.

The vaccine is given in the form of tetanus toxoid.

All children in Ireland and the United Kingdom are supposed to be vaccinated against tetanus. This is usally in the form of three immunisations in the first year of life, a booster at 5 years and again in the teens.

Booster doses are required about every 5 years and are given as an intra muscular injection of tetanus toxoid.