Tetanus
Tetanus is caused by a bacteria called Clostridium tetani
but the disease is more widely known as “lockjaw” and it is a rare but serious
disease that easily can be prevented by vaccination.
It is an obligation in all countries to give tetanus vaccination
to children, there are five shots given starting from age 2months up to either
6yo or 18yo. The child is protected between these shots. Once you have received
the five obligatory shots it is recommended to receive a booster shot every
5-10 years, depending on several factors, such as if you live in a high risk
area. A high risk area is defined as a place where intensive / urgent care
cannot easily be given - this is because a tetanus booster is often given if
you get a wound and there is risk of an infection and this kind of help is not
available everywhere. The shot is
normally given in the deltoid (shoulder) muscle.
How can you
infected?
So where can you get the bacteria? The bacteria lives in the
soil, as well as in house dust and animal and human waste such as manure. The
spore of tetanus can stay in the soil/dirt and remain infectious for over 40
years. The bacteria will enter through any kind of wound or burn (even through
a tiny scratch!)– often made by old rusty nails, but as we can see from above,
it is not the rusty nail in itself that causes the tetanus bacteria to enter
the body, but rather the dust or soil that is on it.
Once the bacteria enters the body, it will multiply rapidly
and release a type of poison called neurotoxin, and this poison causes symptoms
such as stiffness and muscle spasms and difficulties swallowing. The bacteria
travels through the body via the blood and the nerves to the central nervous
system.
Symptoms:
- Headache
- Muscle stiffness, starting in the jaw, then the neck and the arms, legs, or abdomen
- Trouble swallowing
- Restlessness and irritability
- Sweating and fever
- Palpitations and high blood pressure
- Muscle spasms in the face, causing a strange-looking steady smile or grin
- Broken bones. The severity of spasms may cause the spine and other bones to break.
How to determine
if you are contaminated?
It is quite easy to determine if you have the tetanus
bacteria, firstly it will be taken into account if you have recently had a
wound or burn and experiencing muscle ache or spasms, and the doctor can do an
easy spatula test. The spatula test involves putting a spatula into the back of
the throat. Normally you will have a gag reflex and one will try to push the
spatula out of the mouth. On the other hand, if you are infected the spatula
will cause the throat muscles to spasm and you will bite down on the spatula. Laboratory
tests generally aren't helpful for diagnosing tetanus.
What to do if
infected?
There's no cure for tetanus, and
the death ratio if untreated is 1 in 10. The treatment is focused on managing
complications until the effects of the tetanus toxin resolve. Once tetanus
toxin has bonded to your nerve endings it is impossible to remove. Complete
recovery from a tetanus infection requires the growth of new nerve endings and that
can take up to several months. If you get the tetanus and you have not be
vaccinated it is crucial that you get hospital treatment as soon as possible. The
treatment is often a combination of medication (antibiotics, muscle relaxants
and antitoxins) and sometimes a ventilator (to help breathing) to prevent
suffocation. The tetanus /lockjaw cannot spread from one person to the other.
When to see a
doctor?
-If you have a deep or dirty wound and you haven’t had a
booster shot within the past five years (or unsure when last booster was given)
-If you have had a wound that may have been in contact with
dirt /animal feces or manure if you haven’t had a booster within the past 10
years (or unsure when you had your last booster)
- If you are unsure if you are covered, please contact you
GP who can advise you on the course of action.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment