Strychnine poisoning is the only condition that truly mimics tetanus. However, a number of conditions (eg, dental or other local infections, hysteria, neoplasms, and encephalitis) may cause trismus, and these must be differentiated these conditions from tetanus.
Diagnosis. Doctors can diagnose tetanus by asking about recent history of cuts, scrapes, punctures, and trauma, and examining someone for certain signs and symptoms. There are no hospital lab tests that can confirm tetanus.
Tetanus often begins with mild spasms in the jaw muscles (lockjaw). The spasms can also affect your chest, neck, back, and abdominal muscles. Back muscle spasms often cause arching, called opisthotonos. Sometimes, the spasms affect muscles that help with breathing, which can lead to breathing problems.
What are the symptoms of tetanus? A common first sign of tetanus is muscular stiffness in the jaw (lockjaw). Other symptoms include stiffness of the neck, trouble swallowing, painful muscle stiffness all over the body, spasms, sweating, and fever.
The incubation period — time from exposure to illness — is usually between 3 and 21 days (average 8 days). However, it may range from 1 day to several months, depending on the kind of wound. Most cases occur within 14 days.
There are four forms of tetanus based on clinical findings: generalized, neonatal, localized, and cerebral tetanus. Generalized tetanus is the most common form of tetanus, occurring in approximately 80% of cases.
About 30 people in the U.S get tetanus annually, and one or two out of 10 cases can be fatal. Tetanus-associated deaths almost always occur among unvaccinated people, or those with incomplete or unknown vaccination history.
With appropriate immunization and antibody titer, the chances of developing symptoms of tetanus should be very slim, if any. Our case has shown that tetanus can develop in an individual with good titer and can present with a milder form.
Appropriate tetanus prophylaxis should be administered as soon as possible following a wound but should be given even to patients who present late for medical attention.
Symptoms of tetanus may not begin to appear until a week after the injury, so as a rule of thumb, try to get the tetanus booster shot within 48 hours of the injury. If tetanus is left untreated, your body could face long-term complications such as airway obstruction, heart failure, muscle damage, and/or brain damage.
Tetanus in the UK is extremely uncommon. Most cases occur in people over the age of 65 years who have not been immunised against tetanus, as the immunisation was only routinely introduced in 1961.
Tetanus can be prevented through immunization with tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines (TTCV). However, people who recover from tetanus do not have natural immunity and can be infected again.
Tetanus is different from other vaccine-preventable diseases because it does not spread from person to person. The bacteria are usually found in soil, dust, and manure and enter the body through breaks in the skin — usually cuts or puncture wounds caused by contaminated objects.
Tetanus disease can occur anytime of the year, but is most frequently seen in warmer climates or during the warmer months.
There's no cure for tetanus. A tetanus infection requires emergency and long-term supportive care while the disease runs its course. Treatment consists of wound care, medications to ease symptoms and supportive care, usually in an intensive care unit.
The disease usually occurs after an incubation period of 3 to 21 days, but ranges from 1 day to several months. Tetanus is sometimes found in dust and animal faeces.
Do I need a tetanus shot for a small puncture? A: It depends. If the wound is small and clean, you probably don't need a tetanus shot. However, if the wound is large or dirty, you may need a booster shot.
Any wound other than a clean, minor cut is 'tetanus-prone'. Tetanus may occur after a seemingly trivial injury, such as from a rose thorn.
The bacteria can get in through even a tiny pinprick or scratch, but deep puncture wounds or cuts – such as those made by nails, knives, or barbed-wire – are especially at risk of infection with tetanus. Tetanus bacteria are present everywhere and are found in soil, dust, and manure.
There were 11 cases of clinical tetanus identified in England between January and December 2021. This compares to 7 cases identified in 2020 and 4 cases in 2019.
Consider penetrating or puncture wounds as dirty, possibly posing a higher risk for tetanus. Wounds containing devitalized tissue (e.g., necrotic or gangrenous wounds), frostbite, crush injuries, avulsion fractures, and burns are particularly conducive for proliferation of C. tetani.
If you have an injury where you think tetanus could be a possibility and haven't had a booster shot within the past 5 years, you should get to the hospital within 24 hours. It's important to know that the size of the wound doesn't matter when it comes to tetanus.
A tetanus shot may be required if you have not had one within 10 years; if you are not sure when you had your last tetanus shot, and you've been bitten, you should get one within 72 hours after your injury.