Tetanus
Tetanus is caused by the infection of wounds by bacterium Clostridium tetani, which produces toxin that damages the ner-vous system and muscles
Causative organism:
* Bacterium Clostridium Tetani
Incubation period
* 3–21 days
Signs and symptoms
* Muscle rigidity
* Lockjaw an inability to open the mouth wide
* Firmness of the Abdominal muscles
* Painful muscle spasm
* Cardiac arrhythmia
* High blood pressure
Diagnosis
* Diagnosis is entirely clinical
* Clostridium tetani is recovered from the wound in only 30% of patients
Management
* Careful wound cleaning is essential when treating any wound.
* Protection against tetanus with vaccine
* Analgesic should be administered to prevent pain.
* Antibiotic therapy (Metronidazole or Penicillin)
* Patients with mild muscular spasms may be treated with infusions of diazepam