I've got a wound through a dirty/rusty metal last year. after the healing, it turned black and keloid also appeared. I didn't able to see a doctor 'cause I thought it was just normal since I'm just 16 y/o. I didn't felt any symptoms at the first month, but after some few months, I've experienced the lockjaw and some others. But now, I didn't feel any symptoms anymore. I'm just kinda worried if I do have a tetanus. THANKS.

Tetanus occurs fairly soon after the wound is created. It has to do with the bacteria Clostridium Tetani creating a toxin that causes the symptoms of Tetany which is persistent muscle contractions all over and not necessarily in the jaw. IF you were to have gotten Tetanus, it would have occurred much sooner then now.

Date: Wednesday May. 25, 2011 12:42 PM ET

Such common summertime activities as gardening, deck building and other outdoor renovations can put Canadians at risk for tetanus, infectious disease experts said in a reminder announcement this week.

Because the toxin that causes tetanus is found in all kinds of soil, the Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness and Promotion is advising that all Canadians should make sure they are up to date with their tetanus vaccinations.

Most Canadians have had at least one vaccination against tetanus, but many don’t realize that need a booster vaccine every 10 years.

Adults over age 60 are at increased risk of tetanus infection, since many were never immunized when they were younger or may have forgotten to get their booster shot, says Dr. Susan Bowles, vice-chair of the organization.

While many Canadians think of rusty nails when they think of tetanus, the bacteria that causes the infection — Clostridium tetani — is found in all kinds of soil, dirt and dust.

The bacteria usually enter through a cut or scrape and then bring on symptoms such as “lockjaw” (stiffness of the jaw), muscle spasms and sometimes breathing problems. It’s a serious disease that can lead to paralysis and even death.

Without treatment, one out of four infected people will die, says the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Coalition chair Dr. Bonnie Henry says spring is a great time for Canadians to check their immunization records and to visit their family doctor or public health office about getting a tetanus booster.

“The tetanus booster is safe, effective and free for all Canadians, so there is no reason why anyone should be unprotected,” she said in a release.

Other steps to help avoid tetanus infection:

• Wear protective gloves, clothing and footwear while renovating and gardening.
• Be mindful when using tools that can cause injury to skin.
• If injured, immediately clean wounds thoroughly with warm water and soap

My immune system has been weakened from severe stress lately, ended up getting a real deep cut on my hand yesterday from some glass, woke up today with my muscles feeling tense and my jaw feeling tight and swollen, I don't remember the last time I've had an immunization but I think it's been atleast 10 years.

yes it is possible

Unless the glass had dirt on it, tetanus is very unlikely. the bacteria lives in the soil and requires an anaerobic environment such as a deep wound to germinate. since it grows slowly, symptoms don't appear until much later.

Getting a booster wouldn't hurt though.

Also, ignore the lying antivaxxer. Tetanus rates are so low due to the vaccine. While people, like you, are often not up to date, they do get vaccinated after deep wounds.

Additionally, the vaccine often does confer protection to an new infection in an open wound. Once symptoms actually, start, it isn't very useful since the adaptive immune response takes time. Even then, it is still given.

Those opposed to vaccination typically have little to no knowledge of medicine or biology.

Yes, it is possible, but unlikely. the incubation period is usually 3 to 21 days, but may range from 1 day to several months (source, American Public Health Association Control of Communicable Diseases Manual). if you have not had a tetanus booster in more than 10 years, you should get one. Immune globulin is only used in those who have not previously received a complete series of tetanus immunization, so whether or not immune globulin would be used depends on your vaccination history.

Updated: Wed May. 25 2011 10:42:43 CTV.ca News Staff

Such common summertime activities as gardening, deck building and other outdoor renovations can put Canadians at risk for tetanus, infectious disease experts said in a reminder announcement this week.

Because the toxin that causes tetanus is found in all kinds of soil, the Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness and Promotion is advising that all Canadians should make sure they are up to date with their tetanus vaccinations.

Most Canadians have had at least one vaccination against tetanus, but many don’t realize that need a booster vaccine every 10 years.

Adults over age 60 are at increased risk of tetanus infection, since many were never immunized when they were younger or may have forgotten to get their booster shot, says Dr. Susan Bowles, vice-chair of the organization.

While many Canadians think of rusty nails when they think of tetanus, the bacteria that causes the infection — Clostridium tetani — is found in all kinds of soil, dirt and dust.

The bacteria usually enter through a cut or scrape and then bring on symptoms such as “lockjaw” (stiffness of the jaw), muscle spasms and sometimes breathing problems. It’s a serious disease that can lead to paralysis and even death.

Without treatment, one out of four infected people will die, says the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Coalition chair Dr. Bonnie Henry says spring is a great time for Canadians to check their immunization records and to visit their family doctor or public health office about getting a tetanus booster.

“The tetanus booster is safe, effective and free for all Canadians, so there is no reason why anyone should be unprotected,” she said in a release.

Other steps to help avoid tetanus infection:

• Wear protective gloves, clothing and footwear while renovating and gardening.
• Be mindful when using tools that can cause injury to skin.
• If injured, immediately clean wounds thoroughly with warm water and soap

I have a 16 week old puppy that i recently rehomed from a stray i'm unsure of the breed but looks like a doberman cross dachshund (dont know if it is that is the breed), I wasnt really aware of the term lockjaw when i looked up further i found it is a symptom of tetanus. when taking the new pup on a walk she plays with her ball and her mouth seems to lock around the ball, she paws at her mouth as if uncomfortable and my boyfriend manages to get the ball out of her mouth but then her mouth stays in the same locked position. I am aware that dogs do not have the ability to lock their jaws…but what is my pup doing??? her mouth returns to normal after a short while so do think it is tetanus as she seems well otherwise and has been checked over by a vet only recently. My boyfriend is convinced that all SBT, APBT etc lock their jaws i explained that they just use their strength, but he says the same thing happens they bite onto a stick and even when removed cannot move their jaws.. has anyone any answers as to what it is and hy it happens!!

I say it's something for the vet to look at.

For the record, APBT do NOT have "locking jaws." The only reason they bite and don't let go is because that is what they where bred to do – be tenacious, stubborn, and strong. TO please their masters. Back in the day when they where used for dog fighting and bull baiting, letting go meant sure death.

If your dog's jaw gets "stuck" in any position it is a question to ask the vet. Period.

thats a common feature that dobermans have, being able to lock their jaw around something and not letting go. it sounds like ur puppy just isnt used to it yet. a doberman i know does the same thing but as he got older he was able to unlock his jaw faster. i think ur puppy will grow into the ability to unlock her jaw again, but if you really think its something more serious than take her to a vet so she can get checked out

fever..he has bite and it has red around it..when I touched it he moans…he's always at bed..he only meows when I touch his wound….T^T..I'm hoping it's not tetanus or rabies or anything because we don't have the money to take him to a vet….T^T..I'm just so worried..I thinking it's rabies T^T T^T

Hey guys,

I got two injections just over a week ago and was really lethargic all week. Yesterday I got a sore throat and today my nose is a little stuffy.

Assuming the symptoms are a side effect of the two injections – Hep a and Tetanus. is this a proper cold or just symptoms of my immune system attacking the stuff they injected? I'm going overseas tomorrow and really hoping I clear up as soon as possible.

It seems to b infection. Any how consult a good physician as it may lead to worse condition. if u want to try an alternate method, i suggest u to visit healthclinic.biz.nf

what are the symptoms. i had mine yesterday and my neck feels a LITTLE bit stiff and i feel kinda lethargic. is this normal?

I think your talking about the side effects of the shot, if you are read this article
medicinenet.com/tetanus_toxoi…

I don't think so. I know the arm you receive the shot can become very hard to touch & bright red. actually your entire arm can hurt.
But I don't think being tired is a side effect.

well, you're gonna have a fever,
body shaking, lose of consciousness and your jaws stiff. i got mine last march 11, 2004, and the doctor said that it was too late for me when my family brought me to the hospital. hehehe, silly he is, but i'm still alive.

Vaccine injury is a tricky thing to prove — medically and legally. so it was inevitably controversial when the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday against the parents of Hannah Bruesewitz, 18, who suffered seizures and permanent brain damage after receiving a diptheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine in 1993.

The Bruesewitz family sued Wyeth, then the parent company of the maker of the DTP vaccine that Hannah received as an infant, arguing that Wyeth was responsible for Hannah’s condition and should be held accountable. the high court disagreed.

Rather, the Court said, vaccine makers cannot be held liable for negative side effects that parents believe are the result of their products. to be compensated, parents must go before special no-fault tribunals established by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. Congress created these “Vaccine Courts” with the participation of pharmaceutical companies as a sort of “societal bargain” — as Justice Antonin Scalia noted in the majority decision in Bruesewitz v. Wyeth — to ensure the future of vaccine availability in the U.S. at the time of the Act, hundreds of injury lawsuits were piling up against vaccine manufacturers, causing them to abandon manufacture of major vaccines and threatening immunizations for the entire country. (More on Time.com: Q&a: the Dangers of the Anti-Vaccine Movement)

The terms? Injured parties may file for compensation without having to prove cause — they simply have to demonstrate that the injury occurred immediately after vaccination. further, the claimed injury does not have to be among the listed contraindications on the vaccine package, but must be included in a list of side effects called a Vaccine Table, kept by the Vaccine Court. In exchange, pharmaceutical companies cannot be held liable in civil court for adverse effects, and there is a cap on how much claimants may be awarded. (The fees come from taxes on immunizations.)

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act “reflects a sensible choice to leave complex epidemiological judgments about vaccine design to the FDA and the National Vaccine Program rather than juries,” Justice Scalia wrote on behalf of the Court.

This kind of agreement illustrates the complicated relationship the public has with a product that is designed to keep it safe (but, like any therapeutic drug, holds the risk of harm), and shows how far outside the realm of scientific evidence public fears extend. the Bruesewitzes’ case also, once again, brings to the forefront the ever-stronger antivaccine movement in the United States. In some regions of the country parents are increasingly refusing to vaccinate their children, influenced not only by the remote possibility of adverse reactions, but also by fringe activists who believe vaccines cause autism or other unrelated ailments. (More on Time.com: The Link between an H1N1 Vaccine and Narcolepsy)

To be clear, autism was not Russell and Robalee Bruesewitz’s official complaint. their daughter Hannah suffered seizures and subsequent brain damage after she received the DTP vaccine. Hannah began having seizures within hours of receiving the third of a scheduled five doses of Wyeth’s Tri-Immunol DTP vaccine, at 6 months old. Within 16 days, she had an additional 125 seizures. her medical records included speech delays and “autistic-like features” among her symptoms. she now suffers from residual seizure disorder and remains developmentally impaired.

The DTP vaccine that Hannah received came from a batch associated with an unusually high number of adverse events, including one death and eight children who had convulsions. the Bruesewitzes took their case to a Vaccine Court in 1995, but were denied a settlement because residual seizure disorder wasn’t one of the adverse events appearing on the Vaccine Table for DTP. the petition was dismissed in 2003.

So the family sued under Pennsylvania tort law, this time arguing that Wyeth was negligent in maintaining its Tri-Immunol DTP vaccine. the Bruesewitzes argued that the vaccine, which was developed in the 1940s, hadn’t been updated since, even while other companies had updated their DTP vaccines, and thus resulted in design defects that caused “avoidable” harm.

Federal law prohibits parents from suing vaccine makers for design defects, saying that no vaccine maker can be held liable for death or injuries arising from “side effects that were unavoidable even though the vaccine was properly prepared and was accompanied by proper directions and warnings.” But in this case, the Bruesewitzes argued, since Wyeth ultimately withdrew this version of Tri-Immunol from the U.S. market in 1998, Hannah’s injuries should be considered avoidable — the company could have made an earlier update and didn’t for financial reasons, they claimed. (More on Time.com: Gardasil Protects Boys and Men From HPV Too)

Ultimately, the case landed in the Supreme Court, which voted 6 to 2 in favor of vaccine makers on Tuesday. Writing for the majority, Justice Scalia said that to allow civil litigation for vaccine injury claims that had failed in Vaccine Court would set a precedent that would destroy the market for vaccines. Juries would be sympathetic to the plight of parents, regardless of medical evidence, and litigation would go through the roof.

Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence that vaccines do not cause permanent disorders like autism and epilepsy, many parents cling to the myth. why? much of the confusion stems from timing: the first signs of epilepsy, other seizure disorders or autism often appear right about the time children receive many their routine vaccines. the co-occurrence is coincidental.

“The thing about epilepsy is that it’s often a seemingly random event. the human response is to try to find a reason. I’ve literally had people come in and say that their epilepsy has to do with the phases of the moon,” said Dr. Carl W. Bazil, neurology professor at Columbia University. “Can I prove that epilepsy is never caused by vaccine? no. But as a neurologist I can say that it’s extremely unlikely.”

To get a better understanding of the antivaccine mindset, I spoke with Dr. Paul Offit a foremost vaccine expert and author of Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens us All. Offit has seen the most unusual medical reactions to vaccines and the most dire consequences of vaccine distrust: preventable childhood deaths, community outbreaks of outdated diseases and misinformed, angry parents. You can read our conversation here.

Related Links:

Why People Reject Things that Keep them Safe

Autism, Vaccines and Fraud: Q&a with Author Seth Mnookin

On Friday I had some vaccines for Hep a + B as well as for Tetanus and cholera. I went to a party on Friday night and had my fair share of alcohol. On Saturday morning I was a little bit hung over and went to play football for 2 hours in blistering heat. Afterwards I had an intense headache for the rest of the day as well as abdominal pain and nausea. Today my headache is gone, but I'm still nauseas and my stomach feels funny. I'm tired and struggle to consentrate. what could be to cause of all this? I'm quite concerned about it, as it's not normal.
(I slept on a matress on the ground on Friday night and there was some guys fighting near my matress. Could I have sustained concussion due to someone falling over me or something and the football just aggrevated it?)