Now that the diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine has been switched from DTP (pertussis whole cell form) to DTaP (pertussis acellular form), is the vaccine safe?
In 1996, it was recommended that vaccine be switched from use of whole-cell pertussis (DTP) to acellular pertussis (DTaP). Whole cell DPT vaccine is a relatively crude vaccine that contains B. pertussis bacteria chemically and heat treated. Acellular DTaP contains less endotoxin and less bioactive pertussis toxin. Both DPT and DTaP contain aluminum adjuvants. Pertussis toxin is an extremely lethal toxin capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and it is used by researchers in laboratories to deliberately induce Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAS) in lab animals. Pertussis toxin is an ingredient in whole cell DPT vaccine and the acellular DTaP vaccine but it is less bioactive in DTaP. Whole-cell DPT contains B. pertussis bacteria heat and chemically treated as well as significant amounts of endotoxin (capable of killing animals and humans on its own). There is less endotoxin in DTaP, however both DPT and DTaP contain aluminum adjuvants. Aluminum can kill brain cells and m
