Pentacel (DTaP-IPV/Hib) Vaccine Age Range
Pentacel (DTaP-IPV/Hib) vaccine is licensed for use in children aged 6 weeks through 4 years only and is not indicated for use in children aged 5 years or older. 1
Recommended Administration Schedule
Pentacel is indicated for administration as a four-dose series at the following ages:
- 2 months (first dose)
- 4 months (second dose)
- 6 months (third dose)
- 15-18 months (fourth dose)
Key Points About Pentacel Administration
- The vaccine provides protection against five diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
- The fourth dose of DTaP-IPV/Hib may be administered as early as 12 months of age if there's concern about missing a vaccination opportunity, provided that 6 months have elapsed since the third dose 1.
- Although an 8-week interval between doses is preferred for the primary series, a minimum interval of 4 weeks can be used between the first and second doses if an accelerated schedule is needed 1.
- The third dose should not be administered before 14 weeks of age 1.
Important Limitations
- Pentacel is not licensed for the fifth dose (booster) of DTaP and fourth dose of IPV that is recommended at age 4-6 years 1.
- If Pentacel is inadvertently administered to children aged 5 years or older, it should still be counted as a valid dose 1.
- For the complete immunization series, children will need an additional booster dose of DTaP and IPV at age 4-6 years using age-appropriate vaccines 2.
Special Considerations
- For American Indian/Alaska Native children who are at increased risk for Hib disease, particularly in the first 6 months of life, clinics might prefer to use PRP-OMP-containing Hib vaccines rather than Pentacel (which contains Hib-TT) for the first dose 1.
- Interchangeability studies have shown that Pentacel can be used interchangeably with other DTaP-containing combination vaccines, though whenever feasible, the same manufacturer's DTaP product should be used for the pertussis series 1, 3.
Safety and Efficacy
- Clinical studies have shown that Pentacel elicits similar or fewer solicited injection-site and systemic reactions compared to separate administration of equivalent vaccines 4.
- The immunogenicity of Pentacel is comparable to separately administered vaccines, with seroresponse and seroprotection rates meeting non-inferiority criteria 4.
Remember that after completing the Pentacel series, children will still need the DTaP and IPV booster doses at age 4-6 years to complete their immunization schedule against these diseases.