Body and Health

Tetanus

Tetanus

Tetanus (lockjaw) is a disease caused by toxins produced by Clostridium tetani bacteria. It is also called lockjaw because of a muscle spasm in the jaw. Tetanus is found in many developing countries. Because usually the people in developing countries seldom use footwear when going anywhere. So easy to stab something, because it had pierced the last tetani bacteria can easily enter the body.

CAUSE

An-aerobic bacteria Clostridium tetani. Spores of Clostridium tetani can live for years in soil and animal waste. If the tetanus bacteria enter the human body, can occur in both infections in wounds and superficial injuries. After the birth process, infection can occur in the mother’s womb and the umbilical newborn (tetanus neonatorum). Which causes the symptoms of infection is a poison produced by bacteria, not the bacteria.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms usually appear within 5-10 days after infection, but can also occur within 2 days or 50 days after infection. The most common symptom is stiffness in the jaw. Other symptoms of anxiety, swallowing disorders, headaches, fever, sore throat, chills, muscle spasms and stiff neck, arms and legs.

Patients may experience difficulty in opening the jaw (trismus). Spasms in the muscles causes facial expressions like grin patients with raised eyebrows. Stiffness or muscle spasms stomach, neck and back can cause the patient’s head and heels pulled back while the body curved forward.
Sphincter muscle spasms in the lower abdomen can cause constipation and urine retention.

Disturbances are mild, such as noise, wind or turbulence flow, can trigger muscle spasms which are accompanied by pain and excessive sweating.
During the entire body spasms occurred, the patient can not speak because the rigid chest muscle spasm or throat occur. It also causes respiratory problems, so there is a shortage of oxygen.

Usually no fever. Heart rate and reflexes are usually increased. Tetanus can also be limited to a group of muscles around the wound. Spasms around the wound may persist for several weeks.

Diagnosis

Suspected a case of tetanus muscle stiffness or spasms in someone who has a wound. To confirm the diagnosis can be done breeding bacteria from wound swabs.

TREATMENT

To neutralize the poison, given tetanus immunoglobulin. Antibiotiktetrasiklin and penicillin was given to prevent further formation of toxins. Other drugs may be given to calm patients, to control spasms and relax muscles. Patients are usually hospitalized and placed in a quiet room.
For moderate to severe infections, may need to set the ventilator to assist breathing. Food is given through an IV or nasogastric tube. To remove dirt, placed catheter. The patient should lie alternately tilted to the left or right and was forced to cough to prevent pneumonia.

To reduce the pain given codeine. Other drugs may be given to control blood pressure and heart rate. Once cured, must be given a full vaccination for tetanus infection does not provide immunity against subsequent infection.

Prognosis

Tetanus has a mortality rate of up to 50%. Usually deaths occur in people who are young, very old and injecting drug users. If symptoms worsen or immediately if treatment is delayed, the worse the prognosis.

PREVENTION

Preventing tetanus through vaccination is better than cure. In children, tetanus vaccine is given as part of the DPT vaccine (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus). Adults should receive a booster.

In someone who has a wound, if:

• Having received tetanus booster within the last 5 years, do not need to undergo further vaccination
• Never had received a booster within the last 5 years, vaccination is given immediately
• Not have had a vaccination or incomplete vaccination, given an injection of tetanus immunoglobulin and the first injection of 3 monthly vaccinations.

Each wound (especially a deep puncture wound) should be cleaned thoroughly because of dirt and dead tissue will facilitate the growth of Clostridium tetani bacteria

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