• Lock jaw *** is caused by the spores of Clostridium tetani that enter through wounds.
Mode of transmission
• Incubation ** is of 3-25 days during which the bacterium secretes a powerful exotoxin tetanospasmin into the tissue, and blood carries it to the central nervous system and brings about tetanus of muscles.
• Its infection is acquired by contamination of wounds with tetanus spores as these infected spores are abundant in the soil manured with animal dung.
• Spores may survive for 60 or more years in contaminated soil.
Symptoms of Tetanus (**Lock jaw**)
• Symptoms include painful muscular spasms especially of neck and jaw.
• Lock jaw condition occurs when the patient cannot open the mouth. Convulsions and paralysis of muscles, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, fever and headache are the other symptoms.
Prevention and treatment
• All wounds should be treated carefully and cleaned with iodine solution.
• Immunisation of infants by DPT should be done.
• ATS {antitetanus serum) injection within 24 hours of injury provides passive immunity while TT (tetanus toxoid) gives active immunity.
