The last vaccination in older adults that we will review is the tetanus vaccine.

• There are 50 to 100 cases per year of tetanus reported in the United States, with probably two or three times this number that go unreported.
  
  
• Approximately 70% of cases occur in patients over 50 years of age and the fatality rate is 20 to 30% in those who develop tetanus.
  
  
• The tetanus vaccine is administered as a primary series of three shots and then a booster shot is given every ten years.

Copyright 2000