Pentavalent vaccination protects against which all diseases?

Appeared in: Hariyana-CHO-2021

Explanation

The Pentavalent vaccine is a 5-in-1 combination vaccine designed to protect against five major childhood diseases.
It contains antigens for Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), and Tetanus (collectively known as DPT).
In addition to DPT, it includes the Hepatitis B vaccine and the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine.
This combination reduces the number of injections a child needs to receive, improving compliance with the immunization schedule.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Components and coverage of the Pentavalent vaccine as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Under India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), the Pentavalent vaccine is administered at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age.
Using combination vaccines like Pentavalent is a key public health strategy to increase vaccination coverage and reduce the logistical burden on both healthcare workers and parents.
What if a child misses the 10-week dose? The schedule should not be restarted. The child should receive the missed dose as soon as possible, and the next dose should be given after a minimum interval of 4 weeks.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'Pentavalent'. 'Penta' means five.
The question asks what five diseases this single vaccine protects against.
Recall or deduce the standard combination vaccines. The most common is DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus).
Evaluate the options to see which one builds on DPT by adding two more correct components.
Eliminate options containing diseases covered by other well-known vaccines: Tuberculosis (BCG), Polio (OPV/IPV), and Typhoid (TCV).
The remaining option, which includes DPT, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b, will be the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 165-167

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 125-127

Practise the full Hariyana-CHO-2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.