Overall 25% to 50% of those individuals infected with tetanus die. If the symptoms occur quickly, it increases your chance of dying from this disease. the older population and the very young have the nost serious cases of this disease.
Because of widespread immunization with the tetanus vaccine, there are only 50 cases reported a year in the United States. this is a preventable disease!
Tetanus is rare but an often fatal disease that affects the central nervous system by causing painful muscular contractions. Tetanus bacteria enter the body usually through a wound or cut that has been exposed to contaminated soil. this is a disease that can be prevented simply by being vaccinated.
Tetanus produces convulsive muscle spasms and rigidity that can progress to respiratory paralysis ( cannot breath) and finally death. Tetanus is known as “lockjaw” because one of the most common symptoms of this disease is a stiff jaw. that will not open. In some rare cases tetanus affects only the part of the body where the infection begins, but most of the time it spreads to the entire body. the incubation period from the time of injury until the first symptoms appear has a wide range of two to fifty days. More commonly, symptoms occur within five to 10 days after injury. If the onset of symptoms occur early, the chance of dying increases. it is also important to know that tetanus is not contagious.
The first symptom of tetanus ( locked jaw) prevents an individual from opening their jaw or swallowing. this is known as trismus and results in a facial expression called a sardonic smile. Stiffnes of the neck and other muscle throughout the entire body and uncontrollable spams follow. These spasms are so strong that they can actually cause broken bones. the bacteria toxin affect nerve endings that cause a continous stimulation of the muscles.
Tetanus is caused by a bacteria known as Clostridium tetani, their spores are found in soil, street dust and animal feces. the tetanus spores germinate in the body and produce a highly poisonous neurotoxin in the blood that spreads to the nervous system. the tetanus infection is usually transmitted through deep puncture wounds or cuts that have not been cleaned well. Most people assosciate tetanus with rusty nails, but any wound can be a source. There also also rare cases where animal bites, dental work or even abortions where tetanus has been contracted. Also intravenous drug users have been reported to have contracted
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