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.
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 82% of all tetanus cases globally. Similarly, 77% of all deaths from tetanus, 29,500 lives lost, occur in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tetanus is rare in Australia because of high vaccination coverage. It occurs in people of any age, but mainly in older adults who have never been vaccinated or were vaccinated more than 10 years ago.
Tetanus is a very rare disease. In the U.S., the odds of getting tetanus are approximately 1.5 per million. Since 70% of those who develop the disease fully recover, only 1 per 5 million will die.
Risk groups
The risk of death from tetanus is highest among people 60 years of age or older. Diabetes, a history of immunosuppression, and intravenous drug use may be risk factors for tetanus.
Tetanus can be prevented through immunization with tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines (TTCV). However, people who recover from tetanus do not have natural immunity and can be infected again.
Tetanus cases across Australia remain uncommon. Since 1995, fewer than 10 cases have been reported each year, according to the federal health department.
The symptoms of tetanus usually develop 4 to 21 days after infection. On average, they start after around 10 days. The main symptoms include: stiffness in your jaw muscles (lockjaw), which can make opening your mouth difficult.
You may need a tetanus vaccine if the injury has broken your skin and your tetanus vaccinations are not up to date. Tetanus is a serious but rare condition that can be fatal if untreated. The bacteria that can cause tetanus can enter your body through a wound or cut in your skin. They're often found in soil and manure.
The disease itself is rare in the United States because the tetanus vaccine is so effective and is regularly administered to our population. However, the bacteria that causes tetanus isn't rare, and its spores are found most commonly in dust, soil, feces and saliva.
Mortality in the United States resulting from generalized tetanus is 30% overall, 52% in patients older than 60 years, and 13% in patients younger than 60 years. Mortality is substantially higher for people older than 60 years (40%) than for those aged 20-59 years (8%).
If you have an injury where you think tetanus could be a possibility and haven't had a booster shot within the past 5 years, you should get to the hospital within 24 hours. It's important to know that the size of the wound doesn't matter when it comes to tetanus.
You can get it through a cut or other wound. Tetanus bacteria are common in soil, dust, and manure. The tetanus bacteria can infect a person even through a tiny scratch. But you're more likely to get tetanus through deep punctures from wounds created by nails or knives.
What are the symptoms of tetanus? A common first sign of tetanus is muscular stiffness in the jaw (lockjaw). Other symptoms include stiffness of the neck, trouble swallowing, painful muscle stiffness all over the body, spasms, sweating, and fever.
Tetanus disease can occur anytime of the year, but is most frequently seen in warmer climates or during the warmer months.
Do I need a tetanus shot for a small puncture? A: It depends. If the wound is small and clean, you probably don't need a tetanus shot. However, if the wound is large or dirty, you may need a booster shot.
From 2008–2018 there were 42 notifications of tetanus in Australia, 11 of which were in Queensland. The case-fatality rate in Australia is about 2%.
Symptoms of tetanus may not begin to appear until a week after the injury, so as a rule of thumb, try to get the tetanus booster shot within 48 hours of the injury.
Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus is a Public Health Problem in 12 Countries and Tetanus Still Affects People Globally. Worldwide, 75 million women and their babies remain unprotected against maternal and neonatal tetanus.
There are four forms of tetanus based on clinical findings: generalized, neonatal, localized, and cerebral tetanus. Generalized tetanus is the most common form of tetanus, occurring in approximately 80% of cases.
It is seldom possible to find either the bacterium or the toxin in a suspected tetanus patient, so diagnosis can be made only on the basis of clinical observations combined with an individual's history of tetanus immunization.
Vaccination is important because having tetanus disease does not result in tetanus immunity for life. You are still at-risk for getting tetanus again. The risk of reinfection is one of the reasons why the CDC recommends adults get a booster shot for tetanus every 10 years.
Why Do Tetanus Shots Hurt? If you have received a tetanus shot and your arm is sore, you may be experiencing discomfort due to your body's production of antibodies in response to the viruses in the vaccine.
What happens if you don't get a tetanus shot after a cut? Mild tetanus usually starts with muscle spasms, typically in the jaw muscles. In moderate tetanus, there can be spasms affecting the neck, chest, back, and abdomen muscles.