Causes of tetanus

"Tetanus

is caused by a common bacteria in our environment that enters the body

through a wound," said Dr. Leslie Zun, chairman of the emergency

medicine department at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago and professor of

emergency medicine at Chicago Medical School. "If someone gets a

minor wound but is not immunized against tetanus or has forgotten to get

a booster shot in the previous 10 years, they could be at risk for an

infection."

During the

three-year period ending in 1997, 120 cases of tetanus were reported in

the United States, with 93 linked to a specific wound injury. Half were

due to puncture wounds, including things like stepping on nails (rusty

or clean); but other common injuries were also to blame. Twenty patients

had cuts in their skin, 11 had scrapes, 3 had recent surgery, and 9 were

injectible-drug users. Self-performed tattooing and body piercing, animal

bites, and even splinters caused the other puncture wounds included in

the 120 cases. Both minor and major injuries may put you at risk for tetanus

bacteria exposure, which is why health professionals consider it important

to be up-to-date on your routine tetanus booster shot.

Activities,

jobs increase risk

Today many

adults are running, biking and rollerblading to remain fit, and older

Americans who are most at risk from a tetanus infection are among the

health conscious. "All wounds present a risk of tetanus infection,"

said Dr. Zun. "Of course, the risk of infection increases if the

wound is dirty or if a person is not immunized." A recently published

study found that more than half of American adults older than 20 years

of age were not adequately immunized against both tetanus and diphtheria.

A leisurely

afternoon in the garden can create the perfect environment for tetanus

exposure imagine nicking yourself with a tool while working in soil or

even puncturing your skin with a rose thorn. In the CDC report, 39 percent

of the tetanus cases were related to farming or gardening.

People working

as police officers, fire fighters, construction workers, farmers, landscapers

and garbage workers may also have an increased risk from common work-related

injuries. In most cases, employers require workers in these jobs to have

up-to-date tetanus boosters.

An ounce of

"protection"

Tetanus vaccination

is given to virtually all children in this country. It is combined with

diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines in a series of shots

called DTaP, which most children get by the time they enter school. Because

protective levels of tetanus and diphtheria antibodies both decline over

time, the tetanus and diphtheria booster shots are combined into a single

"Td" vaccine that should be given every 10 years, starting in

adolescence and continuing throughout life.

Diphtheria

is a disease caused by bacteria passed from one person to another that

infects the throat and nasal passages; like tetanus, it can be fatal if

left untreated. Diphtheria is still common in a number of other countries,

and some strains continue to circulate in the United States. It is important

for people to maintain up-to-date diphtheria immunity for protection during

foreign travel and to keep the disease from recurring in the United States.

Dr. Zun advises

patients to take advantage of the Td vaccine's protection. "Although

tetanus cases in the United States have decreased over the years, it can

be a very deadly disease. Even with proper treatment, it is fatal for

1 out of every 10 people infected in this country, so it is important

that people get a booster shot every ten years to stay protected."

More information

about tetanus or diphtheria is available at the CDC's Web site, www.cdc.gov.

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