What is Tetanus?
Tetanus is a disease caused by toxic substances (toxins) secreted by bacteria, characterized by painful muscle spasms and capable of causing death.
🔬 Scientific Definition
Tetanus is a serious infectious disease caused by the tetanospasmin toxin secreted by the Clostridium tetani bacterium. This bacterium lives in soil, dust, and animal feces.
Is Tetanus Dangerous?
Yes, it is very dangerous, especially for children. The full recovery period from tetanus can sometimes take months, which may lead to the child staying in the hospital for a long time.
⚠️ Life Threat
In every 5 people infected with tetanus, the disease results in death. This shows the severity of the disease.
What complications can Tetanus cause?
Tetanus disease can cause the following serious complications:
- Laryngeal spasm: Difficulty breathing
- Bone fractures: Due to severe muscle spasms
- Pulmonary thrombosis: Blockage of blood vessels by thrombus
- Pneumonia: Serious lung disease
- Difficulty breathing: The disease results in death in 2-10 out of 10 cases
What are the symptoms of Tetanus?
The main symptoms of tetanus are as follows:
🌡️ Main Symptoms
- Jaw spasm: Painful spasms of all body muscles
- Sudden muscle contractions: Involuntary painful muscle contractions or spasms, most often in the stomach area
- Swallowing problems: Difficulty eating and drinking
- Convulsions: Body contractions
- Headache: Persistent and severe headache
- Fever and sweating: High temperature
- Blood pressure and heart rhythm disturbances: Circulatory system problems
🚨 Emergency Help
If any of these symptoms appear, contact a doctor immediately. Tetanus disease can be life-threatening.
Diagnosis
Tetanus diagnosis is mainly based on clinical signs:
👨⚕️ Doctor Examination
- Anamnesis: Study of disease history
- Physical examination: Checking muscle spasms
- Symptom evaluation: Analysis of disease signs
🔬 Laboratory Tests
The following tests may be performed for accurate diagnosis:
- Wound swab: To detect bacteria
- Blood test: To determine toxins
- Antibody test: To check vaccination status
Treatment
Tetanus disease treatment should be performed in a hospital:
🏥 Hospital Treatment
- Antitoxin: Administration of tetanus antitoxin
- Antibiotics: Destruction of bacteria
- Antispasmodics: Reduction of muscle spasms
- Respiratory support: During breathing difficulties
💊 Supportive Treatment
- Fluid support: Intravenous fluid administration
- Nutrition: Feeding through nasogastric tube
- Hygiene: Keeping the wound clean
🚫 Prohibited
Do not try to treat tetanus disease at home. This disease definitely requires hospital treatment.
Prevention
The most important means of preventing tetanus is vaccination:
💉 Vaccination
- Child vaccinations: DTP vaccine (2, 3, 4, 18 months and 6 years)
- For adults: Tetanus vaccine every 10 years
- During injury: Tetanus antitoxin
🛡️ Additional Prevention Measures
- Wound cleaning: Immediate cleaning with antiseptic solutions
- Hygiene: Hand washing and cleanliness
- Protective clothing: Protective equipment during work
💡 Important Information
Vaccination is the most reliable means of preventing tetanus. Vaccinate your children according to the vaccination schedule.
Contact a Doctor
If your child has tetanus symptoms or you have questions about vaccination, contact us immediately.
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