How many times can a tetanus shot be administered in a year?

Written by Zhang Da Wei

General Surgery

Updated on November 28, 2024

00:00

00:00

The tetanus toxin vaccine is used for emergency vaccination. The main ingredient of this vaccine is the tetanus antitoxin. It is best to be vaccinated within 24 hours, and the sooner the vaccination is administered, the stronger the potential for protection. However, the duration of protection provided by the vaccine is not very long, and the effect of the tetanus antitoxin medication generally lasts about a week. Therefore, vaccination within 24 hours can effectively prevent problems that may occur within that week.

Generally, there is no specific number for the annual frequency, but it is usually recommended not to exceed three times per year. Of course, this depends on the degree of injury. If there is a risk of infection, then the vaccine should be administered since its preventive effect is currently considered the best and can achieve significant efficacy.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Peng

General Surgery

58sec

home-news-image

How long do you have to get a tetanus shot?

It is generally recommended to receive an injection as soon as possible after a trauma, ideally within 24 hours, because tetanus has a certain incubation period, with the shortest being able to cause disease within 24 hours. There is still value in receiving the injection after 24 hours; it can alleviate symptoms and play a preventive treatment role. For tetanus, it is usual to administer a tetanus shot, and most people can choose between tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immunoglobulin. The duration of these two drugs is not the same; tetanus antitoxin lasts about three days, while tetanus immunoglobulin can last up to three weeks. However, this is not an absolute conclusion. Beyond this time, if there are high-risk factors for reinfection, a repeat injection is needed. If a patient has previously been protected by an active immunization regimen, in most cases, no special preventive treatment is needed within three years of the last vaccination.

home-news-image

Written by Xu Jun Hui

General Surgery

56sec

home-news-image

What is tetanus?

Tetanus infection occurs when Clostridium tetani invades the human body through skin and mucosal membranes, producing certain neurotoxins that lead to symptoms. As Clostridium tetani is an anaerobic bacterium, it typically thrives in anaerobic environments and is often found in heavily contaminated, muddy, or rusty conditions. Therefore, if there is an infection in a wound that is deep, located in an oxygen-poor environment, or heavily contaminated with dirt or rust, or in cases of extensive open fractures, explosion injuries, etc., anti-tetanus treatment is essential. It is generally recommended to administer an injection within 24 hours of the injury, which includes tetanus toxoid that requires a skin test—this is not to be used by patients with allergies—and tetanus immunoglobulin, which does not require a skin test.

home-news-image

Written by Li Jin Quan

General Surgery

37sec

home-news-image

Is tetanus serious?

In usual circumstances, when we diagnose tetanus, it is crucial to use a large amount of tetanus antitoxin and tetanus immunoglobulin early on to neutralize the toxins in the blood and alleviate the symptoms of tetanus. If tetanus severely manifests with symptoms such as muscle spasms, muscle rigidity, difficulty in opening the mouth, stiff neck, or complications like respiratory difficulty, respiratory failure, or even cessation of breathing and heartbeat, the condition can lead to severe complications and high mortality rates. Thus, tetanus becomes very severe in its late stages.

home-news-image

Written by Gao Jun

Emergency Surgery

1min 3sec

home-news-image

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.

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Peng

General Surgery

46sec

home-news-image

Symptoms of Tetanus

What are the symptoms of tetanus? Generally, the prodromal symptoms include overall weakness, headache, difficulty swallowing, or limited movement of the head and neck. If the condition progresses further, there may be typical symptoms such as difficulty opening the mouth or tense jaw muscles, leading to muscle spasms in the limbs, possibly causing spasms of the larynx, which can lead to breathing difficulties or even suffocation. Hence, it is a particularly severe manifestation. Some individuals may experience generalized tonic muscle spasms throughout the body, a milder manifestation with a typically longer incubation period. Therefore, in the treatment of tetanus, proactive active immunization should be pursued.