What is Tetanus?
What is Tetanus?
- Tetanus: A disease caused by chemicals which are produced by a bacterium (clostridium tetani) and are toxic to the nerves. The infection usually occurs when the bacteria enter the body through a deep wound - these bacteria are anaerobic and hence don't need oxygen to survive.
- Tetanus: The cause of TETANUS in humans and domestic animals. It is a common inhabitant of human and horse intestines as well as soil. Two components make up its potent exotoxin activity, a neurotoxin and a hemolytic toxin.
Source - Diseases Database
- Tetanus: an acute and serious infection of the central nervous system caused by bacterial infection of open wounds; spasms of the jaw and laryngeal muscles may occur during the late stages.
Source - WordNet 2.1
Ophanet, a consortium of European partners,
currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000.
They list Tetanus as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet
Tetanus: Introduction
Types of Tetanus:
Types of Tetanus:
- Generalized tetatus - severe form affecting the body's muscles.
- Localized tetanus - milder form affecting only a local muscle group.
- Cephalic tetanus - rare form caught from head injury or ear infection.
- Neonatal tetanus
- Physiological tetanus - generalized muscle spasms
- more types...»
Broader types of Tetanus:
How many people get Tetanus?
Incidence (annual) of Tetanus: 40 annual cases notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999); rare due to vaccination.
Incidence Rate of Tetanus: approx 1 in 6,800,000 or 0.00% or 40 people in USA [about data]
How serious is Tetanus?
Prognosis of Tetanus: Localized tetanus can be mild or progress to generalized tetanus which is dangerous and can be fatal.
Complications of Tetanus:
see complications of Tetanus
What causes Tetanus?
Causes of Tetanus: see causes of Tetanus
Cause of Tetanus: Clostridium tetani bacteria often caught in puncture wounds, but also
in other wounds such as burns, ulcers, bites, surgery sites, injection sites, and
umbilical cord stump.
Risk factors for Tetanus:
see
risk factors for Tetanus
What are the symptoms of Tetanus?
Symptoms of Tetanus:
see symptoms of Tetanus
Complications of Tetanus:
see complications of Tetanus
Incubation period for Tetanus: about 2-3 weeks; ranging from 2 to 50 days.
Can anyone else get Tetanus?
Contagion of Tetanus: Caught by entry of bacteria into a wound or other skin break.
More information:
see contagiousness of Tetanus
Tetanus: Testing
Diagnostic testing: see tests for Tetanus.
Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Tetanus.
How is it treated?
Treatments for Tetanus:
see treatments for Tetanus
Prevention of Tetanus:
see prevention of Tetanus
Research for Tetanus:
see research for Tetanus
Name and Aliases of Tetanus
Main name of condition: Tetanus
Class of Condition for Tetanus: bacterial
Other names or spellings for Tetanus:
lockjaw, Clostridium tetani
Tetanus toxin, Clostridium tetani
Source - Diseases Database
Tetanus, Lockjaw
Source - WordNet 2.1
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