Tetanus: how you catch, the mechanisms of transmission

The bite of an infected animal

Most often this disease occurs in the summer season. At this time of year people have more injuries, scratches, and other violations of the integrity of the skin. Only through the damaged skin surface can penetrate pathogens. This terrible disease occupies the second place in mortality, after the botulism.

Statistics were conducted on the territory of Russia. With the discovery of the vaccine against tetanus and diphtheria (TD) mortality was reduced by about 90%. But do not think that the tetanus retreated. In 2011, the year the mortality was 8%.

Was completely eliminated infection with tetanus during childbirth. Last digit of death was awesome and was 100%. But, even despite today's statistics, it is impossible to dismiss the risk of infection and therefore you should know how to deal with the disease.

What is the causative agent of the disease?

These organisms are confined to the conditionally pathogenic microflora. This suggests that she did not immediately become infectious. To be infected it need special conditions of existence, and only in this case it can cause symptoms.

Under adverse conditions (temperature lower than -4, and the presence of oxygen), microorganisms are covered by the shell, which is called dispute, and can survive the bad influence of the external environment. The dispute has a very high resistance and can endure heat above 90 ° C up to 2.5 hours and the boiling mortality occurs after 3.5 hours. If they are in dried form, they can exist even at 160C. The biggest champion, development of micro-organisms is manure. In this vital activity of microorganisms up to 10 years. Antiseptic preparations and DEZ. tools can have a detrimental effect on the stick for 4-7 hours.

How do you get tetanus? Under normal conditions the tetanus Bacillus is always present in the community, both animals and people. From the intestine it penetrates into the environment, into the soil. Most often these pathogens are found in the places of settlement of agricultural animals and high humidity conditions. Also the common habitat of these bacteria is soil in a suburban area in garden, field, garden, – in a word, in those places where there is a risk of contamination of land animals secretions. And as mentioned earlier, the manure, the best saves of the pathogen.

The microorganism becomes pathogenic only when penetrating into the damaged skin through scratches, cuts, and other injuries where there is no oxygen. In an oxygen-free environment and favorable temperature of the organism bacterium discards its shell and goes into normal form, which causes the symptoms of tetanus. It is the environment most optimal for the development of the tetanus Bacillus.

How is this disease?

Tetanus is a serious infectious disease transmitted from animal to human. However, it is worth remembering that a person is not able to transmit the infection to another person. Infection is possible only when penetration sticks out of the ground on the injured epithelial surface of the skin. Most often the risk of infection becomes great when introducing tetanus sticks through the cuts, pushed through, punched fabric, punctures and various burns advanced stage.

Also the factors from which the different infection of the mucous membranes refer:

• the occurrence of bedsores,
• bites of infected animals,
• burns and frostbite,
• a home birth,
• when abortion outside of medical facilities.

Usually occurs infection of the upper and lower extremities. This occurs through injury to the building or garden tools, as well as through the pain. Does not exclude the possibility of infection during surgery, using poorly sterilized tools at hand.

As it may manifest the disease?

Tetanus manifests itself very sharply in the first place this concerns the nervous system. Also notes the strong affection in the region of the skeletal muscles, they start tonicheskie to contract, causing spasms, which in the future can lead to asphyxiation.

The ripening period of the disease lasts approximately from weeks to 2-3 months. What affects the time of appearance of symptoms of tetanus? The whole answer is hidden behind the fact that the further the injury is from the Central nervous system, the longer the incubation period. In addition very important the size of the wound and how it was made. However, the smaller is the incubationthe company, the harder it will be tetanus and a higher percentage of consequences and mortality.

First come aching pain at the site of injury. This is the first sign of developing infection. The wound is already fully healed, and the pain soon. In parallel with this a little later, the disease begins to develop and is caused lockjaw, or convulsions masticatory muscles. Such indication can occur for several days. A little later spasms of the masticatory muscles go into "sardonic smile." Then the cramps spread to the remaining muscle groups and over time take smaller and smaller intervals that last from 3 seconds up to 2-3 minutes. A little later, there is a long-term increase and this leads to opisthotonus. On more distant stages of the convulsions begin to appear very hard, which leads to a strong arching of the body, and man can only rely on the legs and the head.

What preventive measures are used?

The first thing you can do is a preventative vaccination against tetanus. Usually it is done in combination: diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine. Differently it is called the DPT vaccine. It is administered to children starting from 3 months. Further, vaccination is carried out 3 times with an interval in a month and a half. A year after the introduction of 3 doses, revaccination once doing one and a half years old, then preschool age (6-7 years) and 15 years. Then in adulthood, vaccinations are repeated every 10 years. But whatever it was is useful, this vaccine has several contra-indications. These include:

• Respiratory and infectious diseases (after recovery is vaccination a month later).
• If there are signs of allergies and cancer.
• Intolerance to the components of the vaccine.

Before doing the vaccination must be examined with the doctor, and only then, when there is clear clinical picture, it will be possible to appoint a vaccination. Also people have the right to refuse vaccination, then the entire responsibility will lie on it. After the introduction of vaccines in the body begin to form antibodies. During infection antibodies bind with the foreign toxin and therefore not obtained any effect on the body. Also the immune system is produced and post-tetanus.

In addition, when working on a construction site or yard also need to follow safety rules to avoid contamination. If your work is connected with building and land, you must purchase shoes with durable, thick soles, and hands should be tight gloves.

What to do if you have a wound?

Usually, if you have any wound, it is best to quickly go to a medical facility to get first aid. If infection develops, then you need immediately to treat the wound with disinfectant. Regardless of what the injury has occurred, should still go through the prevention of tetanus.

Preventive measures are expressed in surgical treatment with removal of foreign body from the wound and the elimination akrotiriani tissues.

Next, you must decide: to vaccinate or not. Here we look at how long ago were vaccinated, if it hasn't been 5 years, then vaccination there is no need. But if more than 5 years, then administered a small dose of tetanus toxoid. When the validity period of the vaccine is fully expired, then enter the first dose, and a year later repeated.