Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines

Recommendations for the use of tetanus and diphtheria vaccines in HIV-infected adults mirror that for the general population. Both vaccines are inactivated toxoid and are therefore safe for use in HIV-infected individuals. Vaccine-induced immune responses following tetanus vaccination appear to be similar in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals ⁴³. In contrast, vaccine-induced immune responses following diphtheria vaccination are lower in presence of HIV infection, and are influenced by the CD4+ counts ⁷. Studies show that following primary vaccination with tetanus and diphtheria vaccines among HIV-infected children, there is a quick waning of the vaccine-induced immunity ⁴⁴.

 However, as the evidence is lacking on the optimal booster schedule for HIV-infected adults, the recommendation is administration of tetanus and diphtheria vaccines at least every 10 years until more data are available.