Tetanus - the Disease
The clostridium tetani bacilli are spore-forming organisms commonly present in the intestinal tracts of farm animals, horses and any manure-treated soil. The spores are highly weather-resistant, and can survive in soil for decades. Tetanus bacilli will enter the body through a deeply penetrating burn or wound, e.g. from a nail or crush injury. Wounds may appear insignificant, although deeper structures may be injured. The danger of tetanus arises from the fact that tetanus bacilli are ANAEROBIC, i.e. they can only multiply in the absence of oxygen. Tetanus is not spread from person to person.
Careful attention to wound hygiene will effectively eliminate the possibility of tetanus in the vast majority of puncture wounds.
Between 1984 and 2002, there were 186 notified cases of tetanus in the UK :
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In the USA , tetanus is recognised as primarily a disease of older adults, i.e. those aged over 50 years. 20 cases of tetanus were reported among injecting drug users in the UK between July 2003 and February 2004.
Symptoms of Tetanus
The main symptoms of tetanus are muscular spasms starting in the jaw, causing difficulty in opening the mouth - Lockjaw. The spasms then spread to other muscles. The neck and back become stiff and arched, and the abdomen hard like a board. It is the spasms of the respiratory muscles that can cause difficulty breathing, and eventually death. Orthodox treatment includes sedation, muscle relaxants, antibiotics and large doses of tetanus antitoxin.
The incubation period for the disease varies from one day to three weeks, although the usual range is between one and two weeks. There are usually no other symptoms before the muscle stiffness begins.