Tetanus
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Photo Credit: CDC - Tetanus bacterial cells with spores
Definition: Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a condition of the nervous system. Spores of the bacterium, Clostridium tetani germinate into bacterial cells and make the tetanus toxin that causes tetanus. Tetanus spores are usually found in soil and animal waste, and enter the body through an open wound. The wound can be as tiny as a pin prick for the tetanus spores to get in. Once the spores get in, it spreads throughout the body causing painful symptoms. Tetanus is most often found in warmer climates or during the warmer months in the year.
Definition of Neonatal Tetanus: Neonatal tetanus is a form of tetanus that only occurs in newborns and infants. Neonatal tetanus occurs when babies are born in unsanitary conditions, and the umbilical cord becomes contaminated. A majority of the infants that contract tetanus will die from the disease. Neonatal tetanus has the same symptoms of regular tetanus. The symptoms will begin in the first two weeks of the infant’s life. Neonatal tetanus can be prevented if the mother is up-to-date on all of her immunizations and if the baby is delivered in sanitary conditions. Neonatal tetanus is not a common disease in the United States. In fact, since 1995 there have been less than 50 cases of neonatal tetanus. In undeveloped countries, there is a huge problem with neonatal tetanus. The countries that had the most cases of neonatal tetanus in 2003 were China with 2, 245 cases, and then India with 1,691. Pakistan was next with 812 cases and then the Democratic Republic of Congo with 465 cases. Finally, Bangladesh had 390 cases.
Symptoms: Symptoms may start to show up anywhere between 2 days to months after coming in contact with the bacteria. The seriousness of the disease depends on how soon after the contact with the bacteria the symptoms begin to occur. The faster the symptoms present themselves the more severe the disease is.
  • Headache
  • Muscle spasms
  • Lockjaw (stiffness of the jaw)
  • Stiffness of abdominal and back muscles
  • Seizures
  • Fast pulse
  • Fever
  • Sweating
  • Tightening of the facial muscles
  • Difficulty swallowing


Top Five Countries where Tetanus is Most Prevalent:
  1. In India 4,713 people got sick out of 1,049,700,118 people
  2. In Indonesia 1,221 people got sick out of 234,893,453 people
  3. In the Philippines 1,151 people got sick out of 84,619,974 people
  4. In Pakistan 890 people got sick out of 150,694,740 people
  5. In Cambodia 796 people got sick out of 13,124,764 people
Map of Top 5 Countries
Graphs:

Total Tetanus Cases
Graph

Neonatal Tetanus Cases

Treatment: The very first thing to do after receiving any wound that resulted from stepping on something contaminated with tetanus is to thoroughly wash out the wound. If there was no vaccination within the previous ten years, a person needs a tetanus booster shot within fourteen days of contact with the disease. Tetanus is curable, but depending on the severity and number of symptoms up to 50 percent of patients with tetanus may die. Patients take several weeks to fully recover from tetanus because it is a serious illness. If a person recovers from tetanus, there are usually no follow-up problems.

     A person that has contracted tetanus will usually be in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) of the hospital to receive treatment. The treatment the patient may receive is a medicine that will kill the bacteria and neutralize the toxin that was released by the bacteria. A patient may also receive medicines to control the muscle spasms caused by tetanus and to support the body functions. The patient may also need to be put on a ventilator (breathing machine) if the spasms occur in his/her respiratory muscles. They may also need IV rehydration because of the demands being placed on the body.
Vaccine: The best way to not get tetanus is to receive a vaccine. The vaccine for tetanus is also the vaccine against diphtheria and pertussis. It is a shot called DTP or the DTaP. Each of these vaccines are given 4 times at usually 2, 4, and 6 months of age and then again at 4 to 6 years of age. Getting a tetanus booster is recommended every ten years.
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What's New:      Neonatal tetanus is a horrible form of tetanus that not only affects the newborn child but also the mother. In July 2002, UNICEF announced it will concentrate on vaccinating mothers in hard to reach and poor areas and towns. This campaign could potentially save thousands of mothers and their newborn children. The campaign started July 25, 2005 and went through July 31. It started in Mali and the people vaccinating others used a new device that was a pre-filled injection device called BD Uniject. This is easier to use because the health care worker does not have to be professionally trained or a doctor to distribute the vaccine. Now volunteers and teachers are being trained to distribute the vaccine to people without access to a health clinic.

     last year, Neonatal tetanus claimed the lives of 200,000 infants and 30,000 women in 57 developing countries. The goal is to vaccinate 118,000 women of child-bearing age. Although this campaign will last for a short time, UNICEF hopes to use the BD Uniject in future campaigns.

     This campaign is being supported by Ministries of Health, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, PATH, BASICS, Save the Children (US) and other partners. This campaign has also received several donations from the government of Japan, the US Fund for UNICEF, the UK National Committee for UNICEF, Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Becton Dickinson.

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