While data fluctuates, India historically reports the highest number of tetanus cases due to its large population, but countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, like Somalia, Kenya, Chad, and South Sudan, often have the highest rates (age-standardized incidence rates) of tetanus, indicating greater burden relative to population size, especially for neonatal tetanus. Developing nations with lower vaccination coverage consistently see more cases and deaths, though rates are declining globally.
Today the majority of new cases of tetanus occur in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. As the chart shows, these two regions account for the majority of all tetanus cases globally. Similarly, the majority of all deaths from tetanus , occur in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tetanus is an acute infectious disease caused by spores of the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The spores are found everywhere in the environment, particularly in soil, ash, intestinal tracts/feces of animals and humans, and on the surfaces of skin and rusty tools like nails, needles, barbed wire, etc.
Tetanus is uncommon in the United States, with an average of 30 reported cases each year. Nearly all cases of tetanus in the U.S. are among people who have never received a tetanus vaccine, or adults who don't stay up to date on their 10-year booster shots.
The majority of the European countries recommend regular booster vaccinations throughout adulthood every 10–20 years. Recommendations in Croatia and Poland include only a single booster shot during adulthood. Several countries do not recommend vaccination during adulthood.
Tetanus is rare in Australia due to high vaccination coverage. Most people who get tetanus have either not been vaccinated or were vaccinated more than 10 years ago. Because of the seriousness of tetanus, we monitor and report on tetanus cases in Australia.
Stockholm: ECDC; 2025. In 2023, 73 tetanus cases were reported in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), of which 13 (18%) were confirmed cases.
Tetanus is commonly known as lockjaw. Severe complications of tetanus can be life-threatening. There's no cure for tetanus. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and complications until the effects of the tetanus toxin resolve.
Yes, you can get tetanus from a small cut, especially if it's dirty or contaminated with soil, dust, or manure, as the bacteria Clostridium tetani thrives in such environments and enters through any break in the skin, even minor punctures, though deeper wounds pose a higher risk. While deep wounds and burns are more prone, even a rose thorn prick or a seemingly trivial scratch can lead to infection if the bacteria enters and isn't properly cleaned, highlighting why keeping vaccinations up-to-date is crucial.
Their analysis shows adults will remain protected against tetanus and diphtheria for at least 30 years without the need for further booster shots, after completing the standard five-dose childhood vaccination series.
Vaccination with one of the standard tetanus vaccinations helps your immune system fight the toxins. Antibiotics, given either orally or by injection, may help fight tetanus bacteria. Other drugs. Other medications might be used to regulate involuntary muscle activity, such as your heartbeat and breathing.
Tetanus often begins with mild spasms in the jaw muscles (lockjaw). The spasms can also affect your chest, neck, back, and abdominal muscles. Back muscle spasms often cause arching, called opisthotonos. Sometimes, the spasms affect muscles that help with breathing, which can lead to breathing problems.
Light and sound can trigger tetanus muscle spasms. Your provider will likely recommend you rest in a dim, quiet room to limit spasms. Breathing support.
Most healthy children and adults recover from tetanus though the disease causes a serious prolonged illness. Approximately 11 percent of reported cases of tetanus are fatal. In the U.S., where 50 or fewer cases of tetanus occur each year, deaths are more likely to occur in persons 60 years of age and older.
Some people should not get this vaccine.
Tell your vaccination provider if the person getting the vaccine: Has had an allergic reaction after a previous dose of any vaccine that protects against tetanus or diphtheria, or has any severe, life-threatening allergies. Has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (also called “GBS” ...
How do you prevent tetanus after a cut? Hydrogen peroxide can help sterilize a wound but it's not a substitute for getting a tetanus shot. This is because hydrogen peroxide can't reach all the way into a wound, especially a deep one, which means the tetanus bacteria can still thrive beneath the skin.
The spores can get into someone's body through broken skin, usually through injuries. Tetanus bacteria are more likely to infect certain breaks in the skin, including: Wounds contaminated with dirt, feces (poop), or saliva (spit) Puncture wounds (wounds caused by an object, like a nail or needle)
Like other vaccines, tetanus shots feel like a pinch when you get them. It might leave you with a sore arm for a few days.
Unlike many infectious diseases, recovery from naturally acquired tetanus does not usually result in immunity. This is due to the extreme potency of the tetanospasmin toxin. Tetanospasmin will likely be lethal before it will provoke an immune response. Tetanus can be prevented by vaccination with tetanus toxoid.
The tetanus shot is often considered one of the most painful vaccinations. This is primarily due to an adjuvant in its formula, which is added to increase the immune response.
Make sure to clean any injury straight away. Rust does not cause tetanus. Rusty objects are often dirty and the soil on them carries tetanus bacteria.
The condition's name derives from the appearance of raised eyebrows and an open "grin", which can appear sardonic or malevolent to the lay observer, displayed by those experiencing these muscle spasms.
Australia and Singapore, which have the strictest vaccine requirements, boasted the highest polio vaccination rates in both 2018 and 2021.
Since 2019, 77% of counties and jurisdictions in the U.S. have reported notable declines in childhood vaccination rates. The declines span from less than 1 percentage point to more than 40 percentage points.