Criteria for a Positive Tetanus Diagnosis

Written by Liu Huan Huan

General Surgery

Updated on December 25, 2024

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After a person is injured, if the wound reaches deeper parts such as the subcutaneous fat layer or even the muscle layer, it is essential to administer tetanus antitoxin to prevent infection from tetanus bacillus. Before injecting the tetanus antitoxin, a skin test must be conducted to prevent allergies and anaphylactic shock. Generally, after injecting the test agent, observations are made for 30 minutes. If there is an enlargement of the wheal, redness and swelling that infiltrates surrounding areas, and the patient feels itching, it indicates a positive result.

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Written by Zhang Da Wei

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What are the symptoms of tetanus sequelae?

Tetanus, a viral infection problem, is actually quite a common disease. Usually, if the wound is deep or caused by rusty metals, there is a higher possibility of it leading to a tetanus infection. This condition requires timely treatment or prevention, otherwise, it can easily lead to complications. For example, tetanus typically causes complications primarily related to the lungs, such as pneumonia and pulmonary edema, among other issues, which are quite typical. The infected individual may experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing, nausea, etc., all of which could be a result of tetanus bacteria infection. In the case of a deep wound, it is crucial to promptly administer a vaccine to prevent exacerbation of the infection, and local treatment should be performed to effectively prevent it.

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What are the circumstances in which a tetanus shot should not be administered?

Tetanus is a strict anaerobic bacterium. Clinically, for deeper contaminated wounds, especially those contaminated by soil or punctured by rusty iron objects, an active injection of tetanus vaccine is recommended. Generally, for superficial scratches or clean and shallow wounds, as long as proper wound cleaning is performed, it is usually not necessary to administer a tetanus shot. For patients who have completed a full course of immunization or booster immunization within the last ten years and have high antibody levels in the body, if the wound is small, superficial, and free of foreign bodies or necrotic tissue residue, it is not necessary to inject the tetanus vaccine. For wounds that are larger, deeper, and heavily contaminated, with substantial residues of foreign bodies and necrotic tissue, or in cases where thorough wound cleaning is not achievable, an enhanced injection of tetanus antitoxin or immunoglobulin should be administered.

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Written by Li Jin Quan

General Surgery

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Can tetanus be fatal?

Firstly, it must be acknowledged that if a patient with tetanus does not receive timely treatment, it can be fatal. When tetanus infection occurs, the early symptoms mainly include dizziness, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, weak chewing, sore jaw muscles, or some heightened reflexes, or muscle tension. As tetanus worsens, it can manifest as typical clinical symptoms, mainly lockjaw, difficulty opening the mouth, sardonic smile, stiff neck, opisthotonos, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing, respiratory arrest, and even cardiac arrest. If emergency treatment is not administered promptly, the patient can die.

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General Surgery

44sec

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What will happen with tetanus?

Firstly, it should be noted that tetanus is a curable specific infection. Typically, after being infected with tetanus, the early symptoms mainly include dizziness, headache, fatigue, decreased appetite, refusal of weakness, jaw pain, or some hyperreflexia. As the condition worsens, symptoms such as muscle spasms, muscle rigidity, risus sardonicus, difficulty opening the mouth, lockjaw, opisthotonos, and stiffness in the neck can occur. In severe cases, there may be difficulty breathing, respiratory arrest, and even cardiac arrest. The vast majority of tetanus patients can fully recover through proper and systematic treatment.

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General Surgery

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How long does tetanus antibody last?

The duration of tetanus antibodies varies under two scenarios. The first is passive immunity, which is achieved through injections such as tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immunoglobulin. The duration of immunity provided by these injections is relatively short. Typically, tetanus antitoxin lasts about four days, while tetanus immunoglobulin can last up to three weeks. After this period, the levels of antibodies gradually decrease, and the body may no longer be protected. Therefore, a single application of tetanus antitoxin or immunoglobulin does not provide long-lasting immunity. The second scenario involves antibodies produced by active immunity, generally through the injection of a vaccine made from attenuated tetanus bacilli. Antibodies usually start to develop about ten days after vaccination, with levels gradually increasing over two to three months and remaining high. This type of immunity lasts up to about ten years, but it is not lifelong. Regular boosters, guided by relevant tests, are required to maintain immunity.