What happens if you get tetanus shots too close together — within a few years instead of the recommended 10 years?

Answer From Pritish K. Tosh, M.D.

It's usually OK to receive an extra booster of the tetanus vaccine.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent tetanus — a serious disease caused by a bacterial toxin that affects the nervous system. Tetanus bacterial spores can enter your body through any cut or scratch. But deep puncture wounds, such as from stepping on a nail, are most susceptible to tetanus infection.

An adult who's never been vaccinated against tetanus should complete the initial tetanus series of three tetanus shots. The first two shots are given at least four weeks apart, and the third shot is given 6 to 12 months after the second shot. After the initial tetanus series, booster shots are recommended every 10 years.

With

Pritish K. Tosh, M.D.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

July 27, 2023 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  3. Alpha blockers
  4. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  5. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  6. Anxiety: A cause of high blood pressure?
  7. Beta blockers
  8. Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?
  9. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  10. Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?
  11. Blood pressure chart
  12. Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?
  13. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  14. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  15. Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
  16. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  17. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  18. Caffeine and hypertension
  19. Calcium channel blockers
  20. Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
  21. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  22. Central-acting agents
  23. Childhood vaccines
  24. Choosing blood pressure medicines
  25. Diuretics
  26. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  27. Dysphagia
  28. High blood pressure and exercise
  29. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  30. Home blood pressure monitoring
  31. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  32. High blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
  33. High blood pressure and sex
  34. High blood pressure dangers
  35. What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  36. Hypertension FAQs
  37. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  38. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  39. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  40. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  41. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  42. Picnic Problems: High Sodium
  43. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  44. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  45. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  46. Stress and high blood pressure
  47. Sweating and body odor
  48. Tachycardia
  49. Tetanus
  50. Vaccine guidance from Mayo Clinic
  51. Vaccines for adults
  52. Vasodilators
  53. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  54. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  55. What is blood pressure?
  56. Vital Vaccinations
  57. Can a lack of vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  58. White coat hypertension
  59. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?