Postexposure Treatment for Tetanus
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is a toxin that is produced by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. These bacteria cannot grow if exposed to oxygen, which is why very deep wounds can be prone to infection. The spores produced by the bacteria cause an acute, life-threatening disease and are extremely hard to kill because they are resistant to both heat and many chemical agents that are used to eliminate bacteria.1
How is it contracted?
The spores responsible for tetanus can be found in soil and in intestines and feces of many household and farm animals. The bacteria can enter the body through a puncture wound. Tetanus cannot be spread from person to person.1
What are the symptoms?
There are 3 types of tetanus, with generalized tetanus being the most common type. The symptoms of generalized tetanus most commonly seen are spasms in the jaw muscle, followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty swallowing, and rigidity of the abdominal muscles. Other symptoms include fever, sweating, elevated blood pressure, and rapid heart rate. Spasms often occur and may last for several minutes and continue for 3 to 4 weeks. Complete recovery, if it occurs, may take months.1
How can I prevent tetanus after exposure?
Tetanus can be fatal; the best treatment for tetanus is prevention. [CDC_tetanus pinkbook/p4/para3] You should make sure that you are up to date with tetanus vaccinations. Should you have a wound that could possibly be contaminated by tetanus, or you're unsure of your immunization status, you will need both a dose of tetanus immune globulin—such as HyperTET S/D—as soon as possible and a tetanus-and-diphtheria-containing vaccine (Td or Tdap).1
What is a tetanus immune globulin, and why isn't a vaccine enough?
Tetanus immune globulin is a treatment that contains high levels of tetanus antibodies. An immune globulin works much faster than a vaccine, but does not last as long. Because of the potentially life-threatening nature of tetanus, doctors will give you a tetanus immune globulin shot such as HyperTET S/D and a vaccine to make sure you get the comprehensive care you need.1