Tetanus symptoms usually appear 2 to 28 days after infection caused by the toxin caused by clostridium tetani bacteria, found in the soil and faeces of animals.skin caused by an object contaminated with soil, dust or faeces of animals that have this bacteria in their bodies.
If you have an injury and think you have tetanus, select your symptoms to know the risk:
- The toxin produced by the bacteria prevents muscle relaxation.
- That is.
- The muscle remains contracted.
- Making the process of opening the mouth and swallowing.
- For example.
- Quite difficult and painful.
- In addition.
- If tetanus is not identified and treated.
- More muscles may be compromised.
- Resulting in respiratory failure and endangering a person’s life.
The diagnosis of tetanus is made by the family doctor or an infectious disease by evaluating the signs and symptoms presented by the person, as well as their medical history.Laboratory tests are often inconclusive because it takes a large amount of bacteria to confirm a tetanus diagnosis, although it doesn’t take the same amount of bacteria for symptoms to appear.
The main form of prevention is tetanus vaccine, which is part of the national vaccination schedule and should be given in several doses at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months, with reinforcement between 4 and 6 years.the vaccine does not last a lifetime and should therefore be repeated every 10 years.Learn more about the tetanus vaccine.
In addition, it is also important to avoid cutting the skin, keeping all wounds covered and clean, and seeking appropriate treatment for burns and other wounds, which facilitate the entry of tetanus bacteria into the body.
See how tetanus is spread
Tetanus treatment usually begins with the tetanus vaccine to stimulate the immune system, followed by an injection of a neutralizing substance for bacteria toxins that have not yet been associated with nerves.
In addition, treatment may also include the use of antibiotics, muscle relaxants such as diazepam or baclofen and periodic cleaning of wounds.Treatment is usually done at home, but in more severe cases it may be necessary to stay in the hospital for a few days.. Understand how tetanus is treated.