DPT vaccine is given to children to immunize them against

The DPT vaccine, also known as the DTP vaccine, is a combination vaccine designed to immunize children against three specific infectious diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus [2]. The 'D' stands for diphtheria, a bacterial infection that can cause respiratory distress and heart failure. The 'P' stands for pertussis, which is commonly known as 'whooping cough' due to the characteristic sound made during violent coughing fits. The 'T' stands for tetanus, a disease caused by bacterial toxins entering through wounds, leading to painful muscle stiffening. While newer formulations like DTaP (acellular pertussis) have largely replaced the original whole-cell DTP in many regions for safety reasons, the target diseases remain the same [5]. In India's immunization program, DPT is also integrated into the Pentavalent vaccine, which adds protection against Hepatitis B and Hib.

Sources

1. [2] https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/current-vis/tdap.html
2. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DPT_vaccine
3. [5] https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/searo/india/tobacoo/pentavalent-vaccine-guide-for-hws-with-answers-to-faqs.pdf