2. Tetanus is from the Greek word which means
“to stretch”.
Characterized by a prolonged contraction
of skeletal muscle fibers
3. Serious infectious disease of the nervous
system, in which a bacterial toxin causes
severe muscle spasm.
Found everywhere but which is especially
likely to be present in street dirt
4. The primary symptoms are caused
by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by
the Gram-positive ,rod-shaped, obligate
anaerobic bacterium
Clostridium tetani.
5. The first symptoms are usually headache and
depression
Difficulty in swallowing
Difficulty in opening the jaws
Stiffness of the neck
Spasms (involuntary muscle contraction)
starting on the cheek and eventually spread
to other muscles of the body
6. Prolonged muscular action causes sudden,
powerful, and painful contractions of muscle
groups.This is called tetany.
7. Other symptoms include drooling, excessive
sweating, fever, hand or foot
spasms, irritability, swallowing
difficulty, uncontrolled urination or
defecation.
8. Generalized tetanus is the most common
type of tetanus, representing about 80% of
cases.
Neonatal tetanus is a form of generalized tetanus
that occurs in newborns. Infants who have not
acquired passive immunity because the mother has
never been immunized are at risk.
An infant suffering from NeonatalTetanus.
9. Local tetanus is an uncommon form of the
disease, in which patients have persistent
contraction of muscles in the same anatomic
area as the injury.
Cephalic tetanus is a rare form of the
disease, occasionally occurring with otitis
media (ear infections) in which C. tetani is
present in the flora of the middle ear, or
following injuries to the head.
10. Tetanus was well known to ancient people
who recognized the relationship between
wounds and fatal muscle spasms.
In 1884, Arthur Nicolaier isolated
the strychnine-like toxin of tetanus from free-
living, anaerobic soil bacteria.
11. In 1889, C. tetani was isolated from a human
victim by Kitasato Shibasaburō, who later
showed that the organism could produce
disease when injected into animals, and that
the toxin could be neutralized by
specific antibodies.
12. In 1897, Edmond Nocard showed that
tetanus antitoxin induced passive
immunity in humans, and could be used
for prophylaxis and treatment.
In 1924, tetanus toxoid vaccine was
developed by P. Descombey.
13. Tetanus is often associated with rust, especially rusty
nails, but this concept is somewhat misleading.
Objects that accumulate rust are often found
outdoors, or in places that harbor anaerobic
bacteria, but the rust itself does not cause tetanus nor
does it contain more C. tetani bacteria.
Because C. tetani is an anaerobic bacterium, it and its
endospores survive well in an environment that
lacks oxygen.
14. Hence, stepping on a nail (rusty or not) may result in
a tetanus infection, as the low-oxygen (anaerobic)
environment is provided by the same object that
causes a puncture wound, delivering endospores to
a suitable environment for growth.
16. Infection in open wounds
Occurs both in deep, penetrating wounds and in
crushing wounds with extensive tissue destruction
17. When introduced into human tissue, usually
at the time of an injury, it can multiply where
the oxygen is deficient
The incubation period varies from two weeks
to several months, but generally is about two
weeks
18. Cleaning the wound
Eliminating the bacilli both surgically and with
antibiotics
Using antitoxin to neutralize exotoxins released by
the bacteria
To reduce muscle spasms, and to support
respiration
19. Active immunization with tetanus tozoid before the
injury
Periodic immunizations or booster injections
Series of three injections is recommended if the
tetanus toxoid is combined with both diphtheria
and toxoid pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine in
the commonly administered DTP
(diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) injections.
20. Supplementary booster injections should be given
one year after completion of the primary
immunization series and every five to ten years
thereafter.
21. Mild cases of tetanus can be treated with:
Tetanus immunoglobulin IV or IM
metronidazole IV for 10 days
Diazepam
In order to survive a tetanus infection, the
maintenance of an airway and proper nutrition are
required.An intake of 3500-4000 calories, and at
least 150 g of protein per day, is often given in liquid
form through a tube directly into the stomach or
through a drip into a vein.
22. Severe cases will require admission
to intensive care. In addition to the measures
listed above for mild tetanus:
human tetanus immunoglobulin
injected intrathecally (increases clinical
improvement from 4% to 35%)
23. tracheotomy and mechanical ventilation for 3 to 4
weeks
magnesium, as an intravenous (IV) infusion, to
prevent muscle spasm
diazepam as a continuous IV infusion
the autonomic effects of tetanus can be difficult
to manage (alternating hyper-
and hypotension hyperpyrexia/hypothermia) and
may require
IV labetalol, magnesium, clonidine, or nifedipine.
