This article was most recently revised and updated by Tetanus is a bacterial disease that attacks the nervous system and results in muscle spasms, breathing difficulty, seizures and even death.

In countries where national programmes have maintained high immunization coverage for several decades, tetanus incidence rates are very low.The global neonatal tetanus elimination goal was launched at the World Health Assembly in 1989 to reduce neonatal tetanus as a public health problem (defined as less than one case of neonatal tetanus per 1000 live births in every district) in all countries.The Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) Initiative was launched by UNICEF, WHO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 1999, revitalizing the goal of MNTE as a public health problem. The disease remains an important public health problem in many parts of the world, but especially in low-income countries or districts, where immunization coverage is low, and unclean birth practices are common.

The tetanus vaccine has made tetanus a preventable disease. Most cases occur within 14 days. Tetanus is diagnosed on the basis of clinical features and does not require laboratory confirmation.





The bacteria lives in dirt, soil, manure or human stool, and causes disease when it enters a person’s … This is a common cause of death if the tetanus is untreated, but there are other effects on the heart, blood pressure, and vital brain centres that may cause death later in the disease. However, there is increased risk of tetanus in adolescent and adult males who undergo circumcision due to waning immunity and limited opportunity for receiving booster doses in males in many countries.The incubation period of tetanus varies between 3 to 21 days after infection.





Tetanus can interfere with your ability to breathe and can threaten your life. Tetanus is an acute infectious disease caused by spores of the bacterium Anyone can get tetanus, but the disease is particularly common and serious in newborn babies and pregnant women who have not been sufficiently immunized with tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines.


To be protected throughout life, WHO recommends that an individual receives 6 doses (3 primary plus 3 booster doses) of TTCV.

The 3 booster doses should preferably be given during the second year of life (12–23 months), at 4–7 years of age, and at 9–15 years of age. Thanks to …





When should you get a tetanus shot? The World Health Organisation has estimated that 787,000 newborns have died as a result of MNT in 1988. Common questions about tetanus. DTap and Tdap vaccination schedule is: Infants are commonly given the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus… In 2014, there were over 2,000 cases of neonatal tetanus and over 9,000 cases of non-neonatal tetanus.

Often called lockjaw, tetanus is a bacterial infection that causes painful muscle spasms and can lead to death. Share Page: What is tetanus?
Body aches and tiredness have been reported following Tdap. But the disease remains a threat to those who aren't up to date on their vaccinations.

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The WHO definition of a confirmed neonatal tetanus case is an illness occurring in an infant who has the normal ability to suck and cry in the first 2 days of life, but who loses this ability between days 3 and 28 of life and becomes rigid or has spasms.The WHO definition of non-neonatal tetanus requires at least one of the following signs: a sustained spasm of the facial muscles in which the person appears to be grinning, or painful muscular contractions. This is a common problem among adults, especially those older than 60.



By 2015 this number has been reduced by 96% to 34,019 …

Common side effects of the tetanus vaccine include fever, redness, and swelling with soreness or tenderness around the injection site (one of five people have redness or swelling). Tetanus symptoms include: Jaw cramping; Sudden, involuntary muscle tightening (muscle spasms) – often in the stomach; Painful muscle stiffness all over the body ; Trouble swallowing; Jerking or staring (seizures) Headache; Fever and sweating; Changes in blood pressure and fast heart rate; More. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In 2015, approximately 34 000 newborns died from neonatal tetanus, a 96% reduction from 1988 when an estimated 787 000 newborn babies died of tetanus within their first month of life.

Tetanus toxoid containing vaccines (DTaP, DTP, Tdap, Td, DT) …

Maternal and neonatal tetanus is common where access to immunisation and clean delivery is insufficient.

Treatment of tetanus is primarily supportive.



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