Clostridium tetani is a bacterium. Tetanus bacterium is usually found in the stomach and intestines of horses, it does not bother them. Wherever horses defecate on the ground, there is tetanus that is virile for probably thousands of years. Spores from the sealed pyramids in Egypt have regrown. This is because the bacterium of tetanus usually looks similar to a lollipop. The tail or handle of the lollipop is filled with balls called spores. Spores are very resilient and can survive in different environments for thousands of years. When placed back in the favorable environment, they develop and grow into new bacteria.

Tetanus is a fatal disease of humans that is caused by a toxin which is produced by a bacteria known as Clostridium tetani. The condition is characterized by the contraction of skeletal muscles particularly the masseter muscles causing lockjaw.

Tetanus may appear when injections or intravenous drips are given without proper sterilization. It is usually seen when drug addicts do not use properly sterilized needles/syringes.

The disease is known to occur when the wound is a tiny one, which can hardly be seen and is completely forgotten/ healed. In such cases, the patient did suffer from an injury sometime or the other.

The Types of Tetanus

There are four main types of tetanus that can affect humans. These types are:

o Generalized tetanus-this is the most common type of tetanus and the type that most people typically think of when tetanus is mentioned. About 80 percent of all tetanus cases fall into this category. The first signs of this form of the disease is:

- Facial spasms

- Stiffness of the neck

- Difficulty in swallowing

- Rigidity of pectoral and calf muscles

- Elevated temperature

- Sweating

- Elevated blood pressure

- Episodic rapid heart rate

The chief tetanus symptoms generated by the neurotoxins include lockjaw and other contraction of the skeletal muscles of the face and upper body. Highly painful spasms become evident, accompanied by the voluntary muscles becoming increasingly rigid. The limbs and trunk follow, along with an arching of the back that is technically called opisthotonos. As the symptoms progress, so generally do the severity of the spasms, especially the masseter muscle contributing to lockjaw. The rigidity continues to the point where the ability of the respiratory muscles to move are compromised or paralyzed, causing death.

How can Tetanus be prevented?

Tetanus can be prevented by tetanus toxoid for prophylactic immunization. Proper washing of wounds with antibiotic or antiseptic wash is advisable as well.Here are some proper guidelines:

1. Vaccination is the key for the prevention of this disease. Therefore, a strict vaccination schedule must be followed. Tetanus usually occurs among those persons who are either not vaccinated at all, or to whom proper dosages have not been given.

2. The second most important step in the prevention of tetanus is immediate care of the wound. Roadside injuries should be given very careful attention as accidental wounds are almost always contaminated with tetanus spores and are likely to cause tetanus. Apart from a thorough cleaning of the wound, all foreign bodies; debris, etc. must be carefully removed, and if need be, even the whole wound may be surgically excised under anesthesia so that the wound becomes thoroughly sterile.

3. Hygienic conditions must be maintained both at home and outside. One should not walk barefoot even in one's house. All types of injury have to be avoided as far as possible, especially in the case of children.

4.Early warning signals of tetanus must always be kept in mind, especially 'lockjaw', so that even if tetanus occurs, early urgent preventive/therapeutic steps can be taken, so that the disease is prevented from proceeding to an advanced stage, and the life of the patient is saved.

Read about natural remedies Also read about home remedies for ingrown toenail and ways to get rid of warts.

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