What is Tetanus?

Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, disease caused by a toxin of the tetanus bacillus. Tetanus spores may enter the body from the environment usually at the site of an injury, puncture wound, surgical procedures, burns, trivial or unnoticed cuts/abrasions, or injected street drugs and can become contaminated by soil, street dust, or animal and human feces.

Who gets Tetanus?

Persons of all ages who sustain wound injuries, who have not received either the basic tetanus toxoid series or who have not received booster doses of a tetanus toxoid containing vaccine such as Td can acquire tetanus. Tetanus is an extremely acute, life-threatening disease which is fatal in 30 percent of cases and usually affects those persons 50 years of age or older.

How is Tetanus spread?

Tetanus exists through the environment and susceptible persons sustaining contaminated wounds or skin punctures are at risk. It is usually not directly transmitted from person to person.

What are the symptoms of Tetanus?

The primary symptoms of tetanus are stiffness and painful muscular contractions or spasms of the jaw, neck, trunk muscles, and rigidity. Tetanus is sometimes called "lock jaw" because of the disease's facial manifestations often observed.

How soon do symptoms occur?

Symptoms usually occur within 3-21 days, usually 8 days, following exposure to tetanus spores following a minor or inapparent or known puncture wound. The majority of cases require hospitalization.

How is Tetanus diagnosed?

Tetanus is usually diagnosed by physicians based upon clinical signs. Laboratory tests of affected tissue or blood test are not always reliable enough to confirm diagnosis.

What is the treatment for Tetanus?

There is no real treatment against tetanus, however, following the proper and timely physician directed wound treatment protocols and administration of additional doses of Td toxoid and/or tetanus immune globulin may help effect a positive outcome.

How long is an infected person infectious to others?

Tetanus is an infectious disease, but it is not usually directly communicable from one person to another.

Should an infected person be excluded from work or school?

Due to it's non-communicable nature, isolation or exclusion of an infected person is not routinely recommended nor necessary.

How can Tetanus be prevented?

Tetanus can only be prevented by avoiding any kind of puncture or surgical wound.

If such wounds occur, prompt washing of the wound area and securing professional medical management of the wound is recommended.

All persons should have received a primary series of at least 3 doses of a tetanus containing vaccine or toxoid, such as diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), diphtheria-tetanus (DT), diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) or tetanus-diphtheria (Td), followed by a booster dose, preferably Td, every 10 years.

Surveillance Case Definition