Title: What is pentavalent vaccine?
Course: Immunization - Ethiopia (Full)

What is pentavalent vaccine?

A vaccine that contains five different antigens in one combined preparation is called a pentavalent vaccine (‘penta’ comes from the Greek word for five). You do not need to remember these details, but the pentavalent vaccine in common use in Ethiopia is a combination of one inactivated whole-cell vaccine (against pertussis bacteria), two sub-unit vaccines (the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids), one conjugate vaccine (against Haemophilus influenza type b bacteria) and one recombinant vaccine (against hepatitis B virus). Thus, the pentavalent vaccine used in Ethiopia in the EPI combines five different vaccines in one injection to protect against four bacterial diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (often abbreviated to Hib), and one viral disease caused by hepatitis B viruses. It is a fully liquid vaccine, which comes in a single dose vial.

Sometimes you will see the pentavalent vaccine used in Ethiopia described as DPT-HepB-Hib vaccine. This is the term used in the IMNCI Module in this curriculum.

What is an inactivated antibacterial vaccine?

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It consists of bacteria that have been killed so that they cannot cause the disease.

What is a toxoid?

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It is a modified version of the toxin (harmful protein) produced by certain bacteria, including those causing diphtheria and tetanus. The toxoid is used in vaccines to immunize against the disease.