Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by Clostridium tetani and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw, and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually lasts for a few minutes. Spasms occur frequently for three to four weeks.[1] Some spasms may be severe enough to fracture bones.[2] Other symptoms of tetanus may include fever, sweating, headache, trouble swallowing, high blood pressure, and a fast heart rate. Onset of symptoms is typically 3 to 21 days following infection. Recovery may take months; about 10% of cases prove to be fatal.[1]
C. tetani is commonly found in soil, saliva, dust, and manure. The bacteria generally enter through a break in the skin, such as a cut or puncture wound caused by a contaminated object.[1][3] They produce toxins that interfere with normal muscle contractions.[4] Diagnosis is based on the presenting signs and symptoms. The disease does not spread between people.[1]
Tetanus can be prevented by immunization with the tetanus vaccine. In those who have a significant wound and have had fewer than three doses of the vaccine, both vaccination and tetanus immune globulin are recommended. The wound should be cleaned, and any dead tissue should be removed. In those who are infected, tetanus immune globulin, or, if unavailable, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used.[1] Muscle relaxants may be used to control spasms. Mechanical ventilation may be required if a person's breathing is affected.[4]
Tetanus occurs in all parts of the world, but is most frequent in hot and wet climates where the soil has a high organic content.[1] In 2015, there were about 209,000 infections and about 59,000 deaths globally.[5][6] This is down from 356,000 deaths in 1990.[7] In the US, there are about 30 cases per year, almost all of which were in people who had not been vaccinated.[8] An early description of the disease was made by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. The cause of the disease was determined in 1884 by Antonio Carle and Giorgio Rattone at the University of Turin, and a vaccine was developed in 1924.[1]
^ abcdefgAtkinson, William (May 2012). Tetanus Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (12 ed.). Public Health Foundation. pp. 291–300. ISBN 9780983263135. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
^"Tetanus Symptoms and Complications". cdc.gov. January 9, 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
^"Tetanus Causes and Transmission". www.cdc.gov. January 9, 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
^ ab"Tetanus For Clinicians". cdc.gov. January 9, 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
^Vos T, Allen C, Arora M, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Brown A, et al. (GBD 2015 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators) (October 2016). "Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1545–1602. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31678-6. PMC 5055577. PMID 27733282.
^Wang H, Naghavi M, Allen C, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Carter A, et al. (GBD 2015 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators) (October 2016). "Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1459–1544. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31012-1. PMC 5388903. PMID 27733281.
^Naghavi M, Wang H, Lozano R, Davis A, Liang X, Zhou M, et al. (GBD 2013 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators) (January 2015). "Global, regional, and national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013". Lancet. 385 (9963): 117–71. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61682-2. PMC 4340604. PMID 25530442.
^"About Tetanus". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. United States Government. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by Clostridium tetani and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the...
Tetanus vaccine, also known as tetanus toxoid (TT), is a toxoid vaccine used to prevent tetanus. During childhood, five doses are recommended, with a...
diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (lockjaw). The vaccine components include diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and either killed whole cells...
Tetanus toxin (TeNT) is an extremely potent neurotoxin produced by the vegetative cell of Clostridium tetani in anaerobic conditions, causing tetanus...
Clostridium tetani is a common soil bacterium and the causative agent of tetanus. Vegetative cells of Clostridium tetani are usually rod-shaped and up to...
Neonatal tetanus (trismus nascentium) is a form of generalised tetanus that occurs in newborns. Infants who have not acquired passive immunity from an...
time. For example, tetanus shot boosters are often recommended every 10 years, by which point memory cells specific against tetanus lose their function...
preserved. For example, the tetanus toxoid is derived from the tetanospasmin produced by Clostridium tetani. The latter causes tetanus and is vaccinated against...
given along with tetanus vaccine and pertussis vaccine, are recommended during childhood. Further doses of the diphtheria–tetanus vaccine are recommended...
is an apparent smile on the face of those who are convulsing because of tetanus or strychnine poisoning. From the Oxford English Dictionary, "A fixed,...
restricted opening of the mouth. The term was initially used in the setting of tetanus. Trismus may be caused by spasm of the muscles of mastication or a variety...
used to treat tetanus, when serum from immunized horses was injected into patients with severe tetanus in an attempt to neutralize the tetanus toxin, and...
of the β subunit of HCG covalently linked to tetanus toxoid. It was alleged that a non-conjugated tetanus vaccine used in developing countries was laced...
the facial muscles that appears to produce grinning. It may be caused by tetanus, strychnine poisoning, or Wilson's disease, and has been reported after...
acellular vaccines. The vaccine is only available in combination with tetanus and diphtheria vaccines. Pertussis vaccine is estimated to have saved over...
woman was diagnosed with tetanus, admitted to the hospital, and begun on a regimen of 3,000 units of tetanus immune globulin, tetanus toxoid, and intravenous...
significant human pathogens, including the causative agents of botulism and tetanus. It also formerly included an important cause of diarrhea, Clostridioides...
brain injury or as a result of the severe muscular spasms associated with tetanus. It can be a feature of severe acute hydrocephalus, poisoning, and drowning...
vaccines) include tetanus vaccine, others (known as DPT vaccine or DTaP vaccine depending on the pertussis antigen used) comes with the tetanus and pertussis...
immune response or to boost response that fades over time. For example, tetanus vaccine boosters are often recommended every 10 years. Vaccine schedules...
(also called tetanized state, tetanus, or physiologic tetanus, the latter to differentiate from the disease called tetanus) is a sustained muscle contraction...
usually refers to the children's vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, haemophilus B, and hepatitis B, which is used...
and can be used to produce antitoxins and, in the case of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, are used as vaccines. Exotoxins are susceptible to antibodies...
SNAREs are the targets of the neurotoxins responsible for botulism and tetanus produced by certain bacteria. SNAREs can be divided into two categories:...
Global Information
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
