Final answer:
An inactivated tetanus toxin is a vaccine, specifically a toxoid vaccine, which is designed to activate the immune system to neutralize the toxins produced by bacteria like Clostridium tetani. Children receive multiple doses of the DTaP vaccine, and adults should receive a Td booster every 10 years.
Step-by-step explanation:
An inactivated tetanus toxin is a vaccine. Toxoid vaccines like the tetanus toxoid (TT) are used to prevent diseases where bacterial toxins are a major factor in causing the disease by activating humoral immunity to neutralize the toxins. Vaccines containing TT include DTaP, Tdap, and Td, which are combination vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, with the 'a' indicating acellular components and capitalization indicating full-strength doses.
It's recommended that children receive multiple doses of the DTaP vaccine during infancy and early childhood, and booster doses of Td every 10 years. These widespread vaccination programs have greatly diminished the occurrence of diseases such as tetanus and diphtheria.