- An acute infectious disease of the central nervous system characterized by intermittent tonic spasms of the voluntary muscles.

Causes and Incidence Tetanus is caused by the tetanospasmin exotoxin produced by the spore-forming Clostridium tetani bacillus. The organism enters the body through a wound contaminated with soil and feces containing viable spores. The incidence is sporadic, and the disease occurs worldwide. It is rare in developed countries, where immunization is common.

Disease Process The bacillus spores enter and multiply in a skin wound to produce the tetanospasmin toxin. The toxin travels to the central nervous system via the bloodstream and peripheral motor nerves and binds to ganglioside membranes, blocking release of an inhibitory transmitter. This induces a hyperexcitability in the motor neurons that results in tonic rigidity and spasms of the voluntary muscles. Once bound, the toxin cannot be neutralized by an antitoxin.

Symptoms The incubation period ranges from 2 to 50 days, with an average of 5 to 10 days before symptoms occur. The most common symptom is stiffness of the jaw. Others include irritability, restlessness, headache, fever, sore throat, stiff neck, and difficulty swallowing. As the disease progresses, the person has difficulty opening the mouth, facial spasms, and rigidity with a fixed grin; opisthotonos; painful, generalized tonic spasms; profuse sweating; cyanosis; and exaggerated reflexes.

Potential Complications The worldwide mortality rate is 50%, and prognosis is poor when the incubation period is short and the symptoms progress rapidly. Complications include cardiac and pulmonary failure and muscle rupture.

Diagnostic Tests The diagnosis is made by history and physical examination. Blood and wound cultures and tetanus antibody tests are commonly negative.

Treatments

Surgery
Debridement of deep penetrating wounds; tracheotomy if needed for prolonged respiratory management.

Drugs
Tetanus toxoid with subsequent booster shots for primary immunity; tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immune globulin may be given at time of penetrating injury with no history of recent vaccination; muscle relaxants to treat rigidity and spasm; antiinfective drugs for infection; analgesics for pain.

General
Prompt, thorough debridement of wound; intubation and mechanical ventilation if needed; tube feedings or hyperalimentation to manage nutrition; catheterization to manage urinary retention; coughing, turning, deep breathing to prevent pneumonia; cardiac and hemodynamic monitoring; adequate fluids and electrolytes; instruction in the importance of maintaining immunization with routine booster every 10 years.

Medi-Info.COM finds at this phrases

• disease process of tuberculosis
• thyroid nodules calcium deposits
• are sessile polyps cancerous
• calcium deposit thyroid
• hepatitis pathophysiology
• hyena hernia

Related Posts

1. Diphtheria

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

26 Comments »

1. [...] disease process of tetanus [...]

   Pingback by Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — February 15, 2010 @ 5:26 pm

2. [...] what are the diagnostic examimation for tetanus [...]

   Pingback by Osteoporosis - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — February 19, 2010 @ 3:07 am

3. [...] tetanus DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS [...]

   Pingback by Food Poisoning - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — March 6, 2010 @ 9:07 pm

4. [...] diagnostic exams in tetanus [...]

   Pingback by Herniated Disk - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — April 1, 2010 @ 1:36 pm

5. [...] lockjaw symtoms [...]

   Pingback by Polyps of the Colon and Rectum - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — April 15, 2010 @ 9:45 am

6. [...] disease process of tetanus [...]

   Pingback by Mononucleosis - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — May 2, 2010 @ 4:13 am

7. [...] tetanus disease process [...]

   Pingback by Ulcerative Colitis - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — May 18, 2010 @ 4:52 pm

8. [...] you tube lock jaw symptom [...]

   Pingback by Rabies - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — May 20, 2010 @ 6:43 pm

9. [...] diagnostic tests for tetanus [...]

   Pingback by Uterine Cancer (Endometrial Cancer) - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — June 24, 2010 @ 4:09 am

10. [...] disease process of tetanus [...]

    Pingback by Syphilis - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — June 25, 2010 @ 11:04 am

11. [...] Tetanus diagnostic test [...]

    Pingback by Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — June 29, 2010 @ 11:52 am

12. [...] diagnostic tests for tetanus [...]

    Pingback by Testicular Cancer - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — July 21, 2010 @ 7:53 am

13. [...] lockjaw will muscle relaxants allow intubation [...]

    Pingback by Lung Cancer - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 2, 2010 @ 2:46 pm

14. [...] the process of a Tetanospasmin [...]

    Pingback by Traumatic Brain Injury (Head Injury) - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 5, 2010 @ 12:38 am

15. [...] diagnostic test of tetanus [...]

    Pingback by Gastritis - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 9, 2010 @ 1:37 pm

16. [...] diagnostic test of tetanus [...]

    Pingback by Frostbite - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 9, 2010 @ 2:25 pm

17. [...] Incubation period tetanus [...]

    Pingback by Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 11, 2010 @ 9:35 am

18. [...] tetanus medi [...]

    Pingback by Parkinson’s - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 13, 2010 @ 1:01 am

19. [...] lockjaw symptoms sore throat [...]

    Pingback by Toxic Shock Syndrome - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 17, 2010 @ 7:10 am

20. [...] testing for lockjaw [...]

    Pingback by Lymphoma (Non-Hodgkin’s) - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 19, 2010 @ 9:51 pm

21. [...] tetanus process to the skin [...]

    Pingback by Tendinitis and Tenosynovitis - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 23, 2010 @ 5:00 pm

22. [...] what are lockjaw symptoms [...]

    Pingback by Rheumatic Fever - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 24, 2010 @ 3:20 am

23. [...] DIAGNOSTIC EXAMINATION FOR TETANUS [...]

    Pingback by Glaucoma - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 26, 2010 @ 10:46 pm

24. [...] test for lockjaw [...]

    Pingback by Diarrhea - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 27, 2010 @ 8:47 pm

25. [...] five symptoms of TETANUS LOCK JAW [...]

    Pingback by Renal Calculi (Kidney Stones) - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — August 30, 2010 @ 11:28 am

26. [...] lockjaw symptoms [...]

    Pingback by Urinary Tract Infection - Disease Process, Symptoms, Diagnostic Tests, Treatments at Medi-Info, Medical information for our connected world — September 3, 2010 @ 4:04 pm

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.