Tetanus
Tetanus is caused by caused by toxins released by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. and is the only vaccine-preventable disease that is not transmissible. Tetanus is currently very rare in Europe and predominates in groups that have not been vaccinated or have been partially vaccinated.
Key facts
Symptoms of tetanus include
- Stiff jaw
- Muscle spasms
- Trouble swallowing
- Seizures
- Rapid heartbeat
- Breathing difficulties
- Fever
There are three forms of tetanus:
- generalised
- localised (affecting the extremities and symptoms include intense and painful spasms)
- cephalic, resulting from head trauma or ear infection that paralyses the cranial motor nerve and affects the facial nerve
There are also some complications of tetanus, such as:
- Inability to maintain breathing
- Heart failure
- Brain damage
- Pneumonia
- Airway obstruction
- Bone fractures
- Muscle damage
Left untreated, tetanus is life-threatening disease.
Risk for people
Anyone can be infected and develop tetanus at any age. However, it is most common among people who were not fully vaccinated as children or who have not had the necessary booster vaccines.
Pregnant women are at increased risk of contracting tetanus due to unsafe abortions or unhygienic deliveries, as long as they have not been previously immunised against the disease.
Tetanus can also affect newborns if their mothers have not been immunised, for example through contamination of the umbilical cord stump.
Other risk factors include compound fractures, burns, ulcers, frostbite or gangrene. Intravenous drug use also increases the risk of contracting the disease.
How it spreads
Tetanus is caused by ‘spores’ of the tetanus bacteria getting into the body through an open wound. These spores are like seeds, lying dormant in the soil, house dust and in animal dung. They can develop into live bacteria after entering the body.
Infection can happen following a cut or scrape to the skin on a dirty surface, or when a wounds gets dirty later. The deeper and dirtier a wound, the higher the risk of developing tetanus.
Vaccination and treatment
Vaccination is the most effective treatment against tetanus and should be given at the first suspicion. Vaccination is recommended for people of all ages, pregnant women and immunocompromised persons. Infants are born protected by their mother's antibodies, but it is important to vaccinate them with booster doses during infancy.
It is also advisable to receive booster doses in adulthood and also in older people because antibodies can diminish with age.
Protective measures
Vaccination is the only effective protective measure against tetanus.
