Nature of the disease
Tetanus
is a serious bacterial disease that affects the nervous system, leading to
painful muscle contractions, particularly of your jaw and neck muscles. Tetanus
can interfere with your ability to breathe and can be life threatening. Tetanus
is commonly known as “lockjaw.”
is a serious bacterial disease that affects the nervous system, leading to
painful muscle contractions, particularly of your jaw and neck muscles. Tetanus
can interfere with your ability to breathe and can be life threatening. Tetanus
is commonly known as “lockjaw.”
Causative agent of tetanus
The causative agent of tetanus disease is Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic spore-forming bacterium, whose natural habitat is
soil, dust, and intestinal tracts of various animals.
soil, dust, and intestinal tracts of various animals.
Clinical features of tetanus
Contraction
of muscles in chest, neck, back, abdominal muscles, and buttocks. Back muscle contraction
is often causes arching, called opisthotonos. Sometimes the spasms affect
muscles that help with breathing, which can lead to breathing problems.
of muscles in chest, neck, back, abdominal muscles, and buttocks. Back muscle contraction
is often causes arching, called opisthotonos. Sometimes the spasms affect
muscles that help with breathing, which can lead to breathing problems.
Signs and symptoms of tetanus
Common
signs and symptoms of tetanus include:
signs and symptoms of tetanus include:
- Contraction
and stiffness in your jaw muscles (trismus) - Stiffness
of your neck muscles - Difficulty
swallowing - Stiffness
of your abdominal muscles - Painful
body spasms lasting for several minutes, typically triggered by minor
occurrences, such as a draft, loud noise, physical touch or light
Other possible
other signs and symptoms include:
other signs and symptoms include:
- Fever
- Sweating
- Elevated
blood pressure - Rapid
heart rate
Diagnosis of tetanus
Diagnosis
of tetanus is based on a physical exam, medical and immunization history. Laboratory
tests generally are not usually helpful for diagnosing tetanus.
of tetanus is based on a physical exam, medical and immunization history. Laboratory
tests generally are not usually helpful for diagnosing tetanus.
Incubation period for tetanus
The
incubation period of tetanus may be up to several months, but is usually about
eight days. In general, the farther the injury site is from the central nervous
system, the longer the incubation period. The shorter the incubation period,
the more severe the symptoms. In neonatal tetanus, symptoms usually appear from
4 to 14 days after birth, averaging about 7 days.
incubation period of tetanus may be up to several months, but is usually about
eight days. In general, the farther the injury site is from the central nervous
system, the longer the incubation period. The shorter the incubation period,
the more severe the symptoms. In neonatal tetanus, symptoms usually appear from
4 to 14 days after birth, averaging about 7 days.
Treatment for tetanus
Since there’s no cure for tetanus, treatment
consists of wound care, medications to ease symptoms and supportive care.
consists of wound care, medications to ease symptoms and supportive care.
·
Wound care: Cleaning the wound is essential
to preventing growth of tetanus spores. This involves removing dirt, foreign
objects and dead tissue from the wound.
Wound care: Cleaning the wound is essential
to preventing growth of tetanus spores. This involves removing dirt, foreign
objects and dead tissue from the wound.
·
Medications: The use
of medications such as antitoxin, antibiotics, vaccine, sedatives and other
drugs.
Medications: The use
of medications such as antitoxin, antibiotics, vaccine, sedatives and other
drugs.
·
Supportive therapies: Severe
tetanus infection often requires a long stay in an intensive care setting.
Since sedatives can inhibit breathing, patients might temporarily need a
ventilator.
Supportive therapies: Severe
tetanus infection often requires a long stay in an intensive care setting.
Since sedatives can inhibit breathing, patients might temporarily need a
ventilator.
Prevention
for tetanus
for tetanus
Tetanus
can be prevented by vaccination with tetanus toxoid. The CDC
recommends that adults receive a booster vaccine every ten years, and standard care
practice in many places is to give the booster to any patient with a puncture
wound who is uncertain of when he or she was last vaccinated, or if he or she
has had fewer than three lifetime doses of the vaccine.
can be prevented by vaccination with tetanus toxoid. The CDC
recommends that adults receive a booster vaccine every ten years, and standard care
practice in many places is to give the booster to any patient with a puncture
wound who is uncertain of when he or she was last vaccinated, or if he or she
has had fewer than three lifetime doses of the vaccine.
In
children under the age of seven, the tetanus vaccine is often administered as a
combined vaccine, DPT/DTaP vaccine, which also includes
vaccines against diphtheria and pertussis. For adults and children over seven, the Td
vaccine (tetanus and diphtheria) or Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular
pertussis) is commonly used.
children under the age of seven, the tetanus vaccine is often administered as a
combined vaccine, DPT/DTaP vaccine, which also includes
vaccines against diphtheria and pertussis. For adults and children over seven, the Td
vaccine (tetanus and diphtheria) or Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular
pertussis) is commonly used.
