Tetanus is a neuromuscular disorder caused by clostridium tetany. Tetanus is also called as lock jaw. Tetanus is a preventable disease which arises from the skin wound, due to infection of clostridium tetani, the bacteria available in the contaminated soil and also in tetanus infected persons. Tetanus affected individual’s body muscles and nerves are affected.
After entering the body, the clostridium tetany produces the neurotoxin (the substance which acts as toxin on nervous system) called tetanospasmin which causes muscle spasms.
The tetanus toxin spreads to different parts of the body through blood and lymphatic system. After circulating to most of body part the tetanus toxin affects the nerves and causes generalized muscles spasms. If tetanus is not treated it will be fetal disease.
Most of the people get tetanus infection after an injury to skin, damage to bone along with skin damage. especially the wounds caused by an instrument, rusted iron, falls on the play grounds causes tetanus infection. Even a small injury can cause tetanus if neglected to take medical aid. Injuries such as burns, gangrenes, machinery injuries also causes tetanus.
Exposure of an injured part to animal saliva, contaminated soil, fecal material, also increases the risk of tetanus.
Neonatal tetanus is the tetanus which occurs to new born, due to unsanitary conditions during delivery of the baby, such as contamination while cutting and clamping of umbilical cord. when an antenatal mother fails to get tetanus infection, the babies may prone to tetanus infection.
Now a day the Proper vaccinations have reduced the chances of tetanus infection worldwide.Due to poverty, unsanitary conditions, and lack of tetanus vaccination, still the developing countries have tetanus cases but, measures have been taken to control tetanus.
The incubation period of tetanus is 7 to 21 days or one to three weeks.
Signs and Symptoms of Tetanus
- Muscle spasm is the main symptom of tetanus.
- Lockjaw, stiff jaw or trismus is the common sign of tetanus.
- Prolonged contraction of skeletal muscles,
- Difficulty in swallowing,
- Spasm of neck, shoulders and back muscles,
- Spasm of abdominal muscles, thighs and upper arms,
- Altered cardiac contraction due to cardiac muscle spasm.
- Respiratory muscle spasm results in breathing difficulty.
- Elevated blood pressure, elevated body temperature and sweating,
- Persistent contraction of body muscles,
Are the main SIGNS and symptoms of tetanus?
Prevention of tetanus
- Effective vaccination is better measure to prevent tetanus.
- Now a day’s tetanus toxin vaccination is also added in immunization schedule and helps in prevention tetanus.
- Injections of tetanus toxoid to be get after an injury to prevent tetanus.
- Booster dose of tetanus to be get at correct time.
- All antenatal mothers should be vaccinated with tetanus toxoid (TT) to prevent tetanus in babies.
- The booster dose at the age of 11 or 12 should be taken to prevent tetanus.
- Mothers should not forget to provide vaccination of tetanus to child at proper time.
- The skin wound should be cleansed well with antiseptic lotion to avoid infection.
- The after shot of tetanus should be given after any skin injury.
are the measures to prevent tetanus infection.
Treatment of Tetanus