An Open Wound = An Open Door for Tetanus

One day you wake up, ready to go about your day-to-day routine. If it’s another day at work, you shower, get dressed, and head out the door. If it’s a day off, you might just head out to exercise, jog, or explore the outside world. But then you run into a little accident and you cut yourself, scrape the skin off a part of your flesh, or end up having an open wound after stepping on a nail or getting scraped by an object you walked by.

            Little do we know that such insignificant wounds sometimes may open the door for various infections that many of us do not expect to enter our body. This is one of the ways that Tetanus infection occurs amongst millions of people worldwide per year. Tetanus is a painful and deadly infection that causes severe muscle spasms as a result of contamination of the central nervous system. The infection is known to enter an individual’s body through open wounds or an injury that leaves an opening in the body for the infection to enter.

            Now, you are probably wondering, “But how can an infection as severe as Tetanus enter a random individual?” It all depends where you are situated, what kind of environment you’re in, and if any wounds in your body are exposed. The infection mostly resides in spores that contain the bacteria C. tetani which is found in the soil, animal feces, animal teeth, fungi, and certain plants. It’s the bacteria that causes Tetanus. The infection is more prevalent in warm and damp climates with soil rich in organic matter. If you one day injure yourself and your open wounds make contact with soil, it is important to contact your health provider about any risk of Tetanus infection.

Symptoms of the infection depend on the duration of the incubation period which in turn depends on how far the injury is from the central nervous system. Symptoms may appear between 7-21 days after infection and its first signs are mild spasms in the jaw, chest, neck, back, and abdominal muscles. In later stages, symptoms worsen causing sudden, painful, and severe muscle contractions and spasms that can cause fractures and muscle tears.

If muscles that assist with breathing are affected, the person may suffer breathing problems or suffocation. All this is the result of the bacteria of the infection releasing a poison in the body that blocks nerve signals from the spinal cord to the muscles. About 11% of all Tetanus cases become fatal due to heart failure, respiratory arrest, brain damage, and airway obstruction.

There is no known cure for Tetanus but according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), what is highly recommended for prevention of the infection is vaccination. How soon should it be taken? As soon as possible especially if you are an individual who explores the outdoors frequently or likes to travel. CDCP also recommends for children and infants to take the vaccine to prevent infection. Once more, side-effects should not be of any great concern. They are minor ranging from fever, swelling, and soreness around the area of injection. The affects of the vaccine lasts up to 10 years and patients are recommended to receive boosters every 10 years to preserve the vaccine within their immune system. The tetanus vaccination is considered the most important factor in preventing infection. For more info, visit us at our website at www.travelclinicny.com or call us at 212-696-5900 to schedule an appointment if you are considering vaccination. A clean bill of health is always bliss!