Tetanus

What is Tetanus?
Tetanus is a disease commonly known as lockjaw, is caused by the bacteria Clostridium Tetani. Just like rabies, Tetanus is quite rare in modern cities and urban areas such as the US, because we have medicines and vaccines for it. Only about 30 people contract tetanus per year in the US, and 2 people die, as shown in 2017, and almost all cases were in people that refused to take the recommended vaccines. However, in the world, about 38000 die yearly of this bacteria, mostly in Africa, and some parts of South America and South Asia.

How do you contract Tetanus?
Tetanus is contracted by spores getting into wounds and the body. It can easily enter your body if you puncture yourself with a nail, or have your wound touch soil, dead leaves, faeces or saliva. If needles are unclean with tetanus spores on it and you inject substances into your body with it, you may get it too. Insect bites can transmit the disease too.

Symptoms:
- Lockjaw
- Muscle spasms and contractions (affect brain and nervous system with neurotoxins)
- Fever and sweating
- Muscle stiffness
- Cannot breath

Diagnosis:
- Physical examination

What if you don't treat it?
Tetanus is fatal because it can cause you to suffocate.

Treatment
- Antibiotics
- Antitoxin
- Cleaning wound properly to prevent anymore tetanus spores from growing

Prevention:
- GET THE TETANUS VACCINE! DON'T DESTROY THE WORLD BY PROMOTE ANTI-VAXXING!
- MOST OF THE 30 PEOPLE WHO GET TETANUS IS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LISTEN TO RECOMMENDATIONS AND DIDN'T GET THE VACCINE
- 3 doses of DTaP 2/4/6 months, 15-18 months, 4-6 years old
- 1 dose of Tdap at 7-10 years old (booster)
- 1 dose of Tdap at 11-18 (booster)
- After being in accident with a big cut or wound (hospitalized), vaccine recommended to prevent catching tetanus
- The vaccines also protect you from Whooping Cough and Diphtheria