Tetanus and Why Immunization is so Important

Lockjaw, better known as Tetanus is that common infection that you can get when you step on a rusty nail. Turns out that there are many more aspects to this infection than a rusty nail and some badly placed steps. Like it or not this is another infection that without immunization against it, humans need to watch out for.
Tetanus, or Lockjaw, is all caused by a bacteria that produces a toxin that attacks the nervous system. The interesting thing about this is that the bacteria of Tetanus is not in the rust on that proverbial "rusty nail". The bacteria is actually found in soil, manure and dust, obviously these objects can be on almost anything, but to contract the nasty little bacteria it has to enter through a puncture or cut. So of course a perfectly clean nail can give you Tetanus, or any cut for that matter. The other partial comfort from Tetanus is the fact that it can not be passed from person to person, Tetanus comes from the environment not another person.

The god news is that there is some prevention and treatment for tetanus should you somehow pick up this rare bacteria. The Tetanus vaccine is highly recommended for the newborns and also given at the intervals of 2,4,6,15, and 18 months old. The next sets of vaccinations are given in between the age of 4 and 6, after these initial shots there are booster shots that will keep you safer, these are given every 10 years. If you should get Tetanus there is a very specific treatment that involves the TIG or Tetanus Immune Globulin, a mix or antibiotics, sedation, wound management, TD vaccinations and other measures of prevention and bacteria killers. While there is a treatment against Tetanus the success rate is not the best, at roughly 70% it is far from perfect.

The tough part about Tetanus is knowing whether or not you really have it. The symptoms have a tendency to show up around 8 days after the infection, but they can come as early as 3 days or as late as 21 days. Once the symptoms show they are still hard to fully define, headache, spasms of the jaw, crankiness, and temperature are all symptoms and also common feelings for other infections as well. These symptoms are then usually followed by intense and painful muscle contractions in the arm. neck, legs, and stomach, these spasms can last for several minutes. This is all made for complicated by the fact that there is no laboratory test for Tetanus.

While Tetanus is not a common infection to get and is considered rare, there is need for concern and preventative measures to be taken. If you do contract Tetanus you can get muscle spasms that have been reportedly strong enough to actually break bones. That coupled with the fact that three out of ten people who get Tetanus die as a result, should not be taken lightly. Anyone without immunization is able to get Tetanus, all the more reason for doctors to push for the immunization at a young age.