Tetanus
(Lockjaw & Tetanus Vaccination)
David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP
Dr. Perlstein received his Medical Degree from the University of Cincinnati and then completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at The New York Hospital, Cornell medical Center in New York City. After serving an additional year as Chief Pediatric Resident, he worked as a private practitioner and then was appointed Director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
- Tetanus facts
- What is tetanus?
- Where do tetanus bacteria grow in the body?
- How does the tetanus toxin cause damage to the body?
- What is the incubation period for tetanus?
- What is the course of the tetanus disease? What are the symptoms and signs of tetanus?
- What is the treatment for tetanus?
- How is tetanus prevented?
- What is the schedule for active immunization ("tetanus shots")?
- What are the side effects of tetanus immunization?
- What is passive immunization (by way of specialized immunoglobulin)?
- Patient Comments: Tetanus - Describe Your Experience
Tetanus facts
- Tetanus is frequently a fatal infectious disease.
- Tetanus is caused by a type of bacteria (Clostridium tetani).
- The tetanus bacteria often enter the body through a puncture wound, which can be caused by nails, splinters, insect bites, burns, any skin break, and injection-drug sites.
- All children and adults should be immunized against tetanus by receiving vaccinations.
- A tetanus booster is needed every 10 years after primary immunization or after a puncture or other skin wound which could provide the tetanus bacteria an opportunity to enter the body.
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is an acute, often-fatal disease of the nervous system that is caused by nerve toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. This bacterium is found throughout the world in the soil and in animal and human intestines.
Where do tetanus bacteria grow in the body?
Contaminated wounds are the sites where tetanus bacteria multiply. Deep wounds or those with devitalized (dead) tissue are particularly prone to tetanus infection.
Puncture wounds, such as those caused by nails, splinters, or insect bites, are favorite locations of entry for the bacteria. The bacteria can also be introduced through burns, any break in the skin, and injection-drug sites. Tetanus can also be a hazard to both the mother and newborn child (by means of the uterus after delivery and through the umbilical cord stump).
The potent toxin that is produced when the tetanus bacteria multiply is the major cause of harm in this disease.
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http://www.medicinenet.com/tetanus/article.htm
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