Caused by the bacteria Clostridium tetani, tetanus takes about 1 to 21 days after infection for symptoms to show. The bacteria are spread from the environment to open wounds where they can enter the blood stream.Toxins (poisonous substances) produced by the bacteria affect the nervous system...

Tetanus vaccine is known to be highly reactive and as a result the amount of tetanus toxoid in the vaccine has been significantly reduced over the years. Too frequent administration of this vaccine may provoke an immediate life-threatening ‘hypersensitivity’ reaction.

Caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, this disease is highly infectious and most serious in babies. The disease is spread through droplets in the air and it can develop from upper respiratory tract (windpipe) infections into pertussis pneumonia (lung infection). Symptoms include coughing and ‘whooping’, which can continue for a few months. Complications of the disease include hypoxic encephalopathy (lack of oxygen to the brain) leading to brain damage and possibly death...

Several years ago, we in Australia were told that the whole-cell pertussis or whooping cough vaccine which we had used here since the 1930's and which was 'perfectly safe', was being gradually replaced by another type of 'even safer' acellular vaccine. Unfortunately, whilst there is no doubt that for short-term side effects such as fever and crying, the newer acellular vaccines cause fewer reactions, however when it comes to the long-term effects such as shock/collapse or convulsions, there is no difference at all.