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.
The disease most commonly occurs in unvaccinated individuals or elderly patients with waning immunity. Vaccination campaigns have decreased the incidence of tetanus worldwide.
About 30 people in the U.S get tetanus annually, and one or two out of 10 cases can be fatal. Tetanus-associated deaths almost always occur among unvaccinated people, or those with incomplete or unknown vaccination history.
Tetanus is rare in Australia because of high vaccination coverage.
Tetanus is different from other vaccine-preventable diseases because it does not spread from person to person. The bacteria are usually found in soil, dust, and manure and enter the body through breaks in the skin — usually cuts or puncture wounds caused by contaminated objects.
Tetanus is sometimes found in dust and animal faeces. Infection may occur after minor injury (sometimes unnoticed punctures to the skin that are contaminated with soil, dust or manure) or after major injuries such as open fractures, dirty or deep penetrating wounds, and burns.
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. If tetanus is left untreated, your body could face long-term complications such as airway obstruction, heart failure, muscle damage, and/or brain damage.
Tetanus is a serious bacterial disease that causes muscle spasms and breathing problems. Tetanus is uncommon in Australia because of the widespread use of the tetanus vaccine.
Contact your health care provider right away if you have an open wound, particularly if: You are injured outdoors. The wound has been in contact with soil. You have not received a tetanus booster (vaccine) within 10 years or you are not sure of your vaccination status.
If you do not have a cut or wound, you do not need to get a tetanus shot – regardless of your exposure to floodwater. If you get a cut or puncture wound and haven't had a tetanus shot, then you will need to get one.
When you have a wound, as long as it breaks the skin, it is possible to develop tetanus. Most doctors recommend the following if you have received your primary (active) immunization in the past. If the wound is clean and you have not had a tetanus booster in the last 10 years, it is recommended that you receive one.
Tetanus can be avoided for the most part by keeping up-to-date with vaccines. Children should receive a series of shots that protects the body against the bacteria and adults should receive booster shots every 10 years.
Interestingly the primary site of entry of the infection, as in this case, might be quite superficial and the wound might have healed at the time of tetanus development.
But with treatment, patients usually survive tetanus and recover. In recent years, tetanus has been fatal in approximately 11 percent of reported cases.
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.
If the injured person hasn't had a tetanus shot in the past five years and the wound is deep or dirty, your doctor may recommend a booster. The injured person should have the booster shot within 48 hours of the injury. If the wound was caused by a cat or a dog, try to confirm that its rabies vaccination is up to date.
People often call tetanus “lockjaw” because one of the most common signs of this infection is tightening of the jaw muscles. Tetanus infection can lead to serious health problems, including being unable to open the mouth and having trouble swallowing and breathing.
Careful cleaning of wounds, both deep and superficial, can substantially decrease the risk of tetanus.
You should suspect tetanus if a cut or wound is followed by one or more of these symptoms: Stiffness of the neck, jaw, and other muscles, often accompanied by a sneering, grinning expression. Difficulty swallowing. Fever.
Tetanus is uncommon in the United States, with an average of 30 reported cases each year.
What does tetanus look like on the skin? Tetanus infections do not cause a rash and the wound will not show signs of tetanus. The first symptoms can take days, weeks, or even months to appear and usually start at the jaw. From the outside, tetanus may look like muscle tightness in the jaw, neck, and face.
Tetanus or lockjaw is a very serious and deadly disease caused by spores of bacteria found in the environment. A tetanus infection can lead to serious health problems such as being unable to open the mouth, trouble breathing, and muscle spasms. Tetanus does not spread from person to person.
Tetanus - Caused by a Bacterium
The likelihood of tetanus is greatest following deep, dirty puncture wounds where there is little bleeding and an absence of oxygen. But tetanus has occurred following other injuries such as burns, scratches, and slivers.
In Australia, tetanus is rare, occurring primarily in older adults who have never been vaccinated or who were vaccinated in the remote past. There were 24 notified cases of tetanus during 2001–2007. From 2008–2018 there were 42 notifications of tetanus in Australia, 11 of which were in Queensland.