Tetanus

I. Definition
A. A bacterial disease marked by rigidity and spasms of the voluntary muscles.

II. Causes
A. Tetanus is caused by the tetanus bacterium Clostridium tetani
1. Found in soil, dust and animal feces

III. Transmission
A. Entry through Abrasions, Punctures, Cuts, and wounds
1. Puncture wounds including from body piercings, splinters, injection drugs, nails, tattoos
2. Gunshot wounds
3. Compound fractures
4. Burns
5. Surgical wounds
6. Injection drug use
7. Animal or insect bites
8. Infected foot ulcers
9. Dental infections
10. Infected umbilical stumps in newborns born of inadequately vaccinated mothers

VI. Description
A. Signs & Symptoms
1. Spasms and/or stiffness in your jaw
2. Difficulty swallowing
3. Stiffness of your abdominal muscles
4. Painful body spasms
5. Fever
6. Sweating
7. Rapid heart rate
 8. Elevated blood pressure

IV. Management
A. Prevention
1. Vaccination
2. Good Wound treatment
B. Treatment
1. Proper Wound care,
2. medications to ease symptoms
C. Cure
1. No Cure

V. Current Status
A. Statistics
1. In 1990, 314,000 people died due to tetanus while in 2017 there were just slightly over 38,000 deaths —
that an 88% reduction. (Statistic)
B. Current Trends
1. An Unvaccinated 6-year-old nearly died from tetanus after his family refused to vaccinate him. His
medical costs were nearly 1 million (Unvaccinated)
2. Tetanus is still a major problem in third world countries.
 Works Cited:

(Unvaccinated) Carroll, Linda. “Unvaccinated Boy Nearly Died from Tetanus. The Cost of His Care Was Almost $1
Million.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 9 Mar. 2019, www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-
health/unvaccinated-boy-almost-died-tetanus-hospital-bill-was-more-800-n981256.

(Tetanus) “Tetanus.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22 Feb. 2019,
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tetanus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351631.