Tetanus

An acute infectious disease caused by the anaerobic rod Clostridium tetani, found in soil contaminated with animal feces. When it enters a wound, it releases specifically acting toxins that affect the spinal cord and brainstem. It begins with spasms of the skeletal muscles. The disease’s incubation period is 1-21 days, usually 6-14 days. Infection can occur through dirty object puncture wounds, creating anaerobic conditions for the disease agent. It can also happen through large dirty wounds following trauma, open bone fractures, burns, abortions, frostbite, surgeries. The patient may experience fever, headache, sweating, fatigue, brisk tendon reflexes, and spasms. Trismus is characteristic – spasms of the chewing muscles making it impossible to open the mouth; facial grimaces.

Preventively, there are vaccines against tetanus. The disease is rare but dangerous.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė