Can tetanus be cured?

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on October 28, 2024
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In clinical practice, the vast majority of tetanus patients can be cured, provided there are no severe complications. Typically, tetanus is caused by the toxin produced by Clostridium tetani within the human body, leading to a specific type of infection. Clinically, it usually manifests as muscle tension and rigidity, and some patients might experience lockjaw, difficulty opening the mouth, a sardonic smile, and even stiff neck and opisthotonos. Severe cases can lead to difficulty breathing, respiratory arrest, or even cardiac arrest. Tetanus patients should go to the hospital for systematic, formal treatment and care. The vast majority of tetanus patients can be cured.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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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 Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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How long does a tetanus shot last?

Regarding how long a tetanus shot lasts, it depends on which type has been administered. Generally, there are two types of tetanus injections: tetanus immunoglobulin and tetanus antitoxin. Typically, doctors perform a skin test before administering the tetanus antitoxin; if the patient has a positive skin test and cannot tolerate desensitization treatment, tetanus immunoglobulin can be administered instead. These two medications have different metabolic times and their preventive effects vary. The metabolic time for tetanus antitoxin is generally one week, whereas for tetanus immunoglobulin, it can last about 28 days. Therefore, how long a tetanus shot lasts depends on the specific circumstances of the patient’s injection.

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Written by Gao Tian
General Surgery
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What should I do if the tetanus skin test is positive?

For patients, what to do if there is a positive tetanus skin test? Generally if it's positive, you can undergo desensitization injections or use anti-protein drugs. Therefore, in such cases, getting a tetanus injection is also a preventative measure against infection. It's recommended to visit a surgeon to complete relevant examinations and then decide on the next steps. At the same time, thorough debridement and disinfection should be carried out. Afterwards, rest, pay attention to diet by avoiding spicy and irritating foods, maintain cleanliness and dryness, change dressings regularly, and have regular follow-ups. With proper control, recovery is possible.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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How many years does the tetanus vaccine last?

Tetanus vaccines generally involve an active immunization process against tetanus with a complete immunization schedule, providing effective protection for up to ten years for those who have completed the full course of prevention. Typically, newborns must receive three doses of the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine, with the first dose administered at three months of age, followed by a dose each subsequent month, and booster shots at eighteen months or six years of age. If vaccinated, no further tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immunoglobulin injections are required for injuries incurred within ten years of vaccination. If no active immunization has been done and the wound is heavily contaminated, it is crucial to promptly administer tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immunoglobulin. A skin test must be performed before using tetanus antitoxin; if the test is strongly positive, immunoglobulin should be administered for preventive treatment.

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Written by Xing Wen Jun
General Surgery
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How to administer tetanus skin test if it is negative?

For patients whose tetanus skin test is negative, it is advisable that they proceed with a simultaneous intramuscular injection, generally considering the injection of tetanus antitoxin. For those patients who test positive in the skin test, it is often considered that they may be allergic to tetanus antitoxin; thus, it is advised that they consider receiving an injection of tetanus immune globulin for active prevention, which is of significant importance for the prevention of tetanus. If a patient is injured by a rusty iron object, and the wound is small and deep, it is recommended that the patient first cleans the wound under running water and repeatedly washes it with soap water, then wipes and applies peroxide with a gauze. Subsequently, dress the wound with sterile dressings, and consider applying iodine during dressing changes for active disinfection. Generally, after such treatment, the likelihood of the patient developing tetanus will be minimized.