Possible ways of transmission, and tetanus and how it Izberite

Tetanus is one of the most difficult and dangerous diseases. Mortality, even with timely early treatment reaches 50-70%. Fortunately, thanks to the invention of vaccinations and serum, it has become truly rare. But his agents are everywhere and the chance to face them every.

What is the infection?

Provokes the beginning of the disease the bacterium Clostridium tetani – tetanus Bacillus. It is prevalent everywhere: in soil, in water, in the sand, and so on.

I wonder what's causing the deadly disease, tetanus Bacillus is an opportunistic microorganism.

She can live in the intestines of many wild, domestic and farm animals, even humans. Faeces it goes into the ground and water, where the spores can exist for years.

Spores of tetanus bacteria are extremely resistant form that can survive for a long time in the most adverse conditions. They can withstand up to six months in sea water, live for years in soil, tolerate freezing and boiling kills only in 1-3 hours.

The spores pass into the active form at temperatures above 37 degrees, fairly high humidity and absence of oxygen. This occurs most often in contact with spores in the wound, but in tropical countries it is their development to even occur in the soil.

By themselves, bacteria are not too dangerous for the human body, but they are able to produce a number of extremely corrosive toxins. Centopassi causes nerve damage, and generalized spasms, hemolysin destroys blood cells. Together they provoke a very serious condition that could end in death.

Possible ways of infection

Spores of tetanus bacilli can live in any soil, dust particles, water, and sea water. Most often they are found in damp forest or well-fertilized soil. It is so widespread makes the tetanus is so dangerous.

This disease is transmitted by contact: if a person is in contact with an infected environment. Mandatory condition – the presence of lesions on the skin that get disputes.

Theoretically, even a small scratch is enough to cause the disease, but in practice this rarely happens

The greatest threat to be extensive ragged, deep wounds, especially in the presence of the pockets, as the development disputes need a few conditions: temperature above 37 degrees, the humidity and lack of oxygen.

In some cases, tetanus can develop even in shallow superficial wounds, especially if they have not been processed and they contain other bacteria. In addition, potentially dangerous frostbite, burns, bedsores. Theoretically, the gateway of infection may be the umbilical wound of newborns, but at the present level of hygiene, such contamination is noted very rarely, mainly in poorly developed countries. Also cause infections can be unsafe childbirth and abortion.

Importantly! From person to person, tetanus is not transmitted. Therefore, the infected are not dangerous to others.

Who is at risk?

The greatest risk of tetanus are people who care for their gardens in the country or the plot.

Contact with soil is often fertilized with animal manure, significantly increases the risk of infection. Any skin lesion, especially a deep wound may cause infection.

The second for the probability of infection of group children. Active lifestyle, frequent injuries from falls, bruises and wounds, which are not always promptly and properly processed, is a frequent cause of infections.

It should also be noted professional risk of workers of agriculture and forestry, hunters and so on. But in practice they are rarely sick, because compulsory vaccination.

Often fix cases of tetanus in elderly and middle-aged people who were last vaccinated in adolescence, and then passed revaccination.

What happens when infected with tetanus?

If things fell into place so that the wound got spores of this bacterium, and the conditions were favorable, with no specific emergency prevention some time to appear the symptoms of tetanus.

The incubation period of this disease is not clear framework. It can last from 10 to 45 days. Most often 2-3 weeks. The more remote from the Central nervous system lesion, the less caught in the wound bacteria and the worse conditions for them, the longer the incubation period.

Higherthe speed of the development of the disease, the harder it will leak and the worse the prognosis.

During the incubation period, the wound may already be delayed and stop bothering, but trapped in the body of the bacterium gradually evolving. In the process of life they produce the same toxin, which causes the symptoms of tetanus.

Mainly it interacts with nerve fibers, gradually lifting them up to the Central formations. This form of tetanus is called rising, most common. Downside, local, bulbar, facial – this is an extremely rare condition, which occur in isolated cases.

How to determine the beginning of the tetanus?

Typically, when there are noticeable and obvious symptoms of tetanus, the disease has gone far enough and requires emergency care.

However, early signs can be noticed in 7-15 days before the beginning of the active stage. Most often tetanus manifests itself as a mild, dull pain in the wound area, even if it was delayed. Also, the patient may note the involuntary twitching of the muscles in the entrance gate of infection.

Immediately prior to the active phase note these symptoms:

  • Insomnia.
  • Sore throat.
  • Backache.
  • Headache.
  • Yawn.
  • Irritability.
  • Sweating.
  • Chill.
  • Loss of appetite.

With the height of the disease appear more obvious symptoms:

  • Sardonic smile. Involuntary grimace in which the lips are stretched and lower corners down, eyebrows rising up.
  • Difficulty swallowing. Due to spasm of the muscles of the larynx, the patient is hard to swallow.
  • Spasm of the muscles of the mouth. It's hard to open your mouth.
This triad of characteristics is considered to be substantive and significant, but then new ones appear.

Severe seizures, the tension of all muscles, tachycardia, increased pressure, slow or absent urination and defecation, fever.

The most dangerous period occurs within 10-15 days after the beginning of the active phase. Due to the increasing seizures, increasing the likelihood of asphyxia, brain damage, paralysis of the heart muscle. These dangers are joining acidosis, General intoxication, pneumonia and many other complications. Due to severe spasms may stretch and even tear muscles and ligaments, in some cases, AutoPlay bones.

Even today, half of the cases of tetanus end in death. If complications were avoided, then after a few weeks the symptoms subside and the patient begins to recover. The recovery period can last several months.

How to avoid tetanus?

Actually, a tetanus infection is not difficult. Its spores in large numbers inhabit the soil, urban dust, dirt. Emergency prevention, which we describe below, is quite effective, but it is better not to bring this up, and promptly take care of your health.

After the invention of the vaccine death from tetanus is rare, so do not neglect this protection.

According to the Russian vaccination calendar, the first vaccine people should get in childhood – 3 months. After it repeated twice with an interval of 1.5 months. Re-vaccination is carried out at 1.5, 7 and 14-15 years.

But adults need protection from tetanus. Therefore, vaccination should be repeated every 10 years: in 25, 35, 45 and so on.

Generated and supported vaccination immunity protects against the dangers of tetanus. But if for whatever reason vaccination has not been made or repeated in time, there is emergency prevention.

How is prevention?

As this infection enters the body only through broken skin or mucous membranes, is the main method of prevention is to avoid wounds, abrasions, burns and other injuries. But such advice does not bear practical use, so it is important to understand what to do in case of potential contamination.

Knowing the ways of spreading of infection, you can make a clear scheme of action:

  • Immediately wash the wound with clean water to remove all dirt and dust.
  • Handle disinfectants. I use hydrogen peroxide or any other antibacterial liquid: chlorhexidine, Miramistin and so on.
  • To go to the doctor, to the emergency room in an ambulance – depending on the severity of the injury.

The latter is particularly important, because even with the potential infection with tetanus, it is necessary to conduct the emergency immunization.

This person administered the immunoglobulin – cleaned and prepared blood serum that contains antibodies to tetanus toxin. Two forms of this drug:

  • Horse immunoglobulin. It is cheaper, more accessible, easier to manufacture, therefore, distributed more widely. But this drug has a relatively high allergenicity, therefore, weakened, prone to allergic reactions people and children it is administered with caution, only after the test.
  • Human immunoglobulin. He tolerated much better, but not always available, especially in small towns and villages.
For people who have not been vaccinated, often together with immunoglobulin administered the vaccine. Such passive-active immunization accelerates the production of antibodies. After is completethe course of immunization, after a booster after 1.5 months.

But still, more reliable and safer time to do all the necessary vaccination and periodically repeat them. Despite all the advantages and efficiency of emergency prevention, and it carries over significantly heavier than a normal vaccination.

I hope that now you know better ways and causes of tetanus, and what happens if you neglect timely vaccination. So, can consciously and reasonably decide if necessary.