How to administer a tetanus shot if it is negative?

Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
Updated on November 11, 2024
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A negative tetanus needle test indicates that the patient is not allergic to the tetanus antitoxin and can continue with intramuscular injections, typically administered in the upper arm or buttock muscles, in doses ranging from 1000 to 3000 units each time. If the infection is severe or the tetanus injection is not timely, the dosage may be appropriately increased, generally by one to two times. The purpose of administering tetanus antitoxin treatment is to prevent infection by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium. For patients with deep wounds or heavily contaminated wounds, such as those contaminated with soil or rust, Clostridium tetani can easily colonize. Therefore, for such patients, it is essential to perform tetanus antitoxin treatment while cleaning and dressing the wound.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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How to desensitize 0.75ml tetanus?

Usually, the tetanus desensitization injection is administered in four doses. We start with 0.1 ml of tetanus toxoid plus 0.9 ml of saline diluted to 1 ml for intramuscular injection. After 20 minutes, we use 0.2 ml of tetanus toxoid plus 0.8 ml of saline diluted to 1 ml for another intramuscular injection. Twenty minutes later, we inject 0.3 ml of tetanus toxoid plus 0.7 ml of saline diluted to 1 ml intramuscularly. After another 20 minutes, we dilute the remaining tetanus toxoid with saline to 1 ml for the final intramuscular injection. After the injection, we observe for 30 minutes; if there is no allergic reaction, then it is complete.

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Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
51sec home-news-image

How to administer a tetanus shot if it is negative?

A negative tetanus needle test indicates that the patient is not allergic to the tetanus antitoxin and can continue with intramuscular injections, typically administered in the upper arm or buttock muscles, in doses ranging from 1000 to 3000 units each time. If the infection is severe or the tetanus injection is not timely, the dosage may be appropriately increased, generally by one to two times. The purpose of administering tetanus antitoxin treatment is to prevent infection by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium. For patients with deep wounds or heavily contaminated wounds, such as those contaminated with soil or rust, Clostridium tetani can easily colonize. Therefore, for such patients, it is essential to perform tetanus antitoxin treatment while cleaning and dressing the wound.

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

Tetanus prophylactic treatment is advised to be carried out as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours for optimal effectiveness. However, prevention treatment can still be carried out after 24 hours, as long as the disease has not manifested. Current research does not prove that tetanus prevention is ineffective after this period. Therefore, timely and effective preventive treatment should be implemented following high-risk tetanus infection factors, choosing either tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immunoglobulin. The incubation period for tetanus infection is about a week, and as long as the disease has not manifested, choosing appropriate medication can have a preventive effect. Tetanus antitoxin and tetanus immunoglobulin have different metabolic cycles; the half-life of tetanus antitoxin is generally about three days, whereas tetanus immunoglobulin can last up to three weeks.

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Written by Gao Jun
Emergency Surgery
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Can tetanus be cured?

Tetanus has a high mortality rate from infection, but it is not incurable. Even in primitive tribes in Africa, as long as the patient can survive the initial complications such as respiratory muscle spasms leading to suffocation, heart failure, lung infections, etc., they may be lucky to survive. However, in our daily lives today, if we accidentally sustain skin injuries or abrasions, we must not take them lightly and should head to the hospital to follow the doctor's advice. If a tetanus antitoxin injection is needed, it must be administered. Do not neglect it due to inconvenience, as it may lead to severe consequences. The initial symptoms of tetanus might include general weakness, muscle soreness, and spasms of the chewing muscles, which can later lead to severe muscle contractions and forceful spasms throughout the body. The patient remains fully conscious and can painfully experience the disease. Most patients may die from complications such as respiratory muscle spasms, suffocation, heart failure, and lung infections.

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Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
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Which part of the body is the tetanus shot administered?

Tetanus injections are given as intramuscular injections in the upper arm or the buttock. Tetanus vaccines include tetanus antitoxin, which requires a skin test. Patients with a positive skin test must either undergo desensitization therapy or avoid using it, and can switch to tetanus immunoglobulin, which doesn't require a skin test but is more expensive than tetanus antitoxin. The purpose of the tetanus shot is to prevent infection by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium. It is particularly important for patients with deep wounds or heavily contaminated wounds; or wounds contaminated with rust or soil to receive tetanus treatment to prevent Clostridium tetani from colonizing the body through wound mucosa and producing neurotoxins that affect breathing.