Vaccine-Preventable Disease Among Homeschooled Children: Two Cases of Tetanus in Oklahoma

Abstract

Homeschooled children represent an increasing proportion of school-aged children in the United States. Immunization rates among homeschooled children are largely unknown because they are usually not subject to state-based school-entry vaccination requirements. Geographic foci of underimmunized children can increase the risk for outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2012, 2 cases of tetanus were reported in Oklahoma; both cases involved homeschooled children without documentation of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccination. We describe the characteristics of both patients and outline innovative outreach measures with the potential to increase vaccination access and coverage among homeschooled children.