Which vaccine protects against both diphtheria and tetanus?

The choice of a toxoid vaccine is correct because both diphtheria and tetanus are prevented through the use of toxoids, which are inactivated toxins produced by the bacteria that cause these diseases. Diphtheria and tetanus immunizations are typically part of combination vaccines, such as the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) for children or the Td (tetanus and diphtheria) booster for adolescents and adults.

Toxoid vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to produce immunity without causing disease, using the inactivated toxins rather than the live bacteria. This approach effectively educates the immune system to recognize the toxins if exposed in the future, providing protective antibodies against both conditions.

Other types of vaccines like live attenuated, recombinant, or inactivated vaccines do not specifically target the toxins responsible for diphtheria and tetanus, making them less suitable for immunization against these particular diseases. Live attenuated vaccines consist of weakened forms of the pathogen, recombinant vaccines involve genetic engineering to produce antigens, and inactivated vaccines contain killed pathogens but do not focus on the toxins that are critical for creating immunity against diphtheria and tetanus.