Tetanus Prophylaxis

Tetanus General Information

Tetanus is the name under which a severe bacterial disease is commonly known. This disease causes prolonged contractions of the skeletal muscle fibers, leading to stiffness and severe muscle spasms. This may lead to a number of serious complications, may interfere with the regular process of breathing and ultimately may lead to the death of the infected person. However, the disease is uncommon in developed countries due to the immunization through vaccines.

The bacteria enter the organism through a wound in the individual’s skin. It is typically found in the soil, but can be present almost anywhere. A laceration, a puncture wound or any other lesion may allow the bacteria to permeate the outer layers of the body, and once inside the bacteria multiply and produce tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin which binds to the tissues and leads to the appearance of the symptoms.

Injuries which involve dead tissue (such as frostbites, crushed lesions, gangrene and burns) have a higher chance of causing Tetanus. Also, wounds that are contaminated with feces or saliva, or wounds that come in contact with the soil are more likely to become infected, especially if not properly cleaned. Newborns that are given birth in unsanitary conditions are also more exposed to the disease, as the umbilical stub may easily become infected.

Tetanus Prophylaxis

Tetanus Prophylaxis mainly involves the immunization against the bacteria through vaccination. This vaccine may be coupled with diphtheria and pertussis immunization vaccines and is typically administered to children at 2 months after birth, followed by a series of vaccines at 4 and 6 months, again at 18 months and then when the child is 4 to 6 years of age. The vaccine is administered in the arm or thigh and will result in immunization against the disease. However, the immunity is lost over time, so booster shots need to be administered again during adolescence (11 to 18 years of age) and adult patients need to receive booster shots once every ten years. Booster shots may also be administered to patients that have suffered from deep puncture wounds or wounds that involve dead tissue, especially if they have not receive a shot in the past 5 years. This also applies in the case of wounds that are contaminated with feces, saliva or soil.

Tetanus Prophylaxis may be recommended when traveling to areas of the world where this disease is more common. As such, receiving a booster shot before traveling may provide additional protection, reducing the chances of contracting the disease. Past infections do not provide immunity against this disease. It is highly recommended that patients who have suffered from this disease are properly immunized in order to prevent recurrence.

Apart from vaccines and booster shots, Tetanus Prophylaxis also refers to properly taking care of any wounds or lesions that may have been sustained. The wound needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible, in order to reduce the number of bacteria that may enter the body. The wound and the surrounding area should be washed thoroughly with sterile water and soap, and any debris and dead tissue that may be present should be removed – in some cases surgery may be necessary to ensure the removal of all debris. Any wounds that are particularly deep and / or dirty, animal bites or deep punctures have a high risk of infection; if the patient’s immunization status is uncertain, booster shots should be administered to reduce the risk of infection. In cases where the patient has been properly immunized, booster shots may also provide a beneficial effect by allowing the body to quickly produce the corresponding antibodies.

Tetanus Prophylaxis may also involve preventive use of antibiotics in low doses. Ointments and creams are available and they should be applied to the affected area immediately after cleansing the lesion. While they do not speed up the healing process, such medications help keep the bacteria under control and will improve the effectiveness of the main treatment.

Tetanus Treatment

Treatment in cases of Tetanus consists of two elements. An antitoxin is typically administered to neutralize the neurotoxins that have been released in the organism by the bacteria – however the antitoxin will not have any effect on the toxins that have already combined with the patient’s nerve tissues. Because of that, it is crucial to begin treatment immediately after confirmation of the diagnosis, in order to minimize the damage done to the patient’s system.

The second component of Tetanus treatment consists of antibiotic drugs which are administered to reduce the bacteria population that has permeated into the patient’s organism. These drugs may be administered either under the form of pills or by injection. Severe cases may require intensive care. As the muscular spasms may threaten the patient’s life, the specialized health care professionals may opt to paralyze the patient by using curare-related medication. In such cases, the patient needs to be mechanically ventilated.

In most cases treatment leads to complete recovery, and the patients may resume their normal lives. However in some cases, death occurs despite treatment. It may occur due to severe damage to the autonomic nervous system, due to pneumonia or constriction of the airways or due to a number of other complications. Permanent damage may also result in patients that survive – especially brain damage resulting from lack of oxygen in patients which suffered constrictions of the airways during contractions.