Whats the difference between the DTaP and the DTP?
DTP contains the whole, inactivated pertussis bacteria, while DTaP uses only the parts of the bacteria that help children develop immunity. The “a” in DTaP stands for acellular, which means there are no whole bacteria in the vaccine. DTaP was introduced in 1997 and is about ten times less likely to cause certain adverse reactions (such as fever, vomiting, and mild seizures) in children than DTP. DTP is no longer used in the United States.
