Do you get a fever during the early stages of tetanus?

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on November 22, 2024
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Tetanus symptoms can potentially begin with a fever during the early stage, generally occurring between six and ten days after injury, meaning symptoms can appear within 24 hours or several weeks post-injury. The shorter the incubation period, the more severe the symptoms and the higher the risk. Some patients may experience fatigue, headache, dizziness, restlessness, and possibly fever. Subsequently, typical symptoms of tetanus occur, primarily characterized by intense muscle contractions starting with the facial muscles. This includes difficulties in opening the mouth and lockjaw, among others. Thus, prevention is crucial for tetanus. When there is a local tissue injury, it is essential to promptly disinfect with hydrogen peroxide or iodine, followed by cleaning and suturing the wound and timely tetanus vaccination to prevent the disease.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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Tetanus allergic symptoms

The primary allergic reaction to tetanus is anaphylactic shock. Some patients may experience skin redness, itching, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, pale complexion, and cold sweats within minutes after receiving the tetanus vaccine. Some may also experience nausea, vomiting, and even abdominal pain. Additionally, blood pressure may drop, and the pulse may slow down. In severe cases, coma can occur, and even cessation of heartbeat and breathing. The second type of allergic reaction is serum sickness, which can occur after a tetanus injection, characterized by erythema, edema, and itching at the injection site.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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tetanus early symptoms

Tetanus is an infection caused by Clostridium tetani, which enters the body through broken skin or mucous membranes and thrives in an anaerobic environment, producing toxins. Clinically, tetanus is characterized by lockjaw, episodic spasms, and rigid spasms, primarily affecting the muscles such as the masseter, latissimus dorsi, abdominal muscles, and limb muscles. Early symptoms of tetanus infection include general weakness, dizziness, headache, weak chewing, localized muscle tightness, pulling pain, and heightened reflexes.

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Written by Ai Bing Quan
General Surgery
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Where to get a tetanus shot?

Tetanus can be treated in any department, but generally, after an injury, one would first go to the emergency room. Therefore, tetanus is very common in emergency medicine. Tetanus is a type of anaerobic bacterium that is ubiquitous in nature. If a person has a wound that is small and deep, the internal environment can become anaerobic, which easily leads to rapid proliferation of tetanus. At this point, it is necessary to inject tetanus immunoglobulin into such wounds. It is best done within 24 hours because after a long period, the tetanus bacillus might have already proliferated in the wound. A skin test should be performed before the injection, and the injection can only proceed if the skin test is negative. If the wound is relatively large and severe, it generally will not be infected by tetanus bacillus.

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Written by Tang Da Wei
General Surgery
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Is it necessary to get a tetanus shot?

Getting a tetanus shot is very necessary if a patient has had an injury or has wounds on the body. Without a tetanus shot, there might be a risk of tetanus infection. The main reason is due to the presence of tetanus bacillus spores in the natural environment, which could colonize within the wound if it's exposed. This can potentially lead to a tetanus infection. Severe cases can present with symptoms such as opisthotonos, breathing difficulties, suffocation, and could even lead to death. The tetanus shot involves injecting tetanus antitoxin into the patient's body, which is a form of passive immunity and can prevent some symptoms of tetanus infection.

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Written by Liu Huan Huan
General Surgery
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Will a scrape lead to tetanus?

When a tetanus infection occurs, the wound is generally quite deep, for instance, reaching the subcutaneous fat or even the muscle layer in severe cases. Such deep wounds can create an anaerobic environment, which is conducive for the growth and reproduction of Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium. This bacterium produces exotoxins, primarily the tetanospasmin, which causes the associated clinical symptoms in patients. If it's merely a scrape or a superficial wound, tetanus infection is unlikely. Clinically, what is needed for such abrasions is to disinfect the area with iodine and then bandage it appropriately.