!Tetanus (lockjaw)

About tetanus
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Tetanus is a deadly infection that gets into a wound or the umbilical 
cord, and then spreads throughout the body.

Signs of tetanus most often appear 7 to 10 days after an injury. But 
signs can also start as soon as 3 days after being infected or not 
appear until 2 or 3 weeks later.

Signs
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 * Tense and painful contractions of all the muscles.
 * During contractions, breathing may stop.
 * Extreme muscle spasms that come and go.
 * Lockjaw (cannot open the mouth easily).
 * Stiff neck and a stiff, board-hard belly.

Get medical help fast for these signs!

Prevention
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Tetanus is much easier to prevent than to treat. Prevent by vaccinating 
all children against tetanus and carefully cleaning wounds so they do 
not get infected. Children need 3 doses of the tetanus vaccine as 
infants and then 3 booster vaccines later. Pregnant women need a 
tetanus vaccination unless they have had one recently.

Wounds most likely to develop tetanus
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 * Puncture wounds.
 * Gunshot wounds.
 * Broken bones, when the bone pokes through the skin (open fractures).
 * Severe burns or frostbite.
 * Unsafe abortions and injections or piercings with used needles can 
   also lead to tetanus.

Serious, deep or dirty wounds need special cleaning, care, and 
antibiotics. Unless the person had a tetanus vaccine within the past 5 
years, they need one now and also an injection of antitetanus 
immunoglobulin.

Newborn tetanus
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Newborns can get infected with tetanus through the umbilical cord if 
the mother does not have up-to-date tetanus vaccinations. Cutting the 
cord with a sterile blade and keeping the cord clean protect babies 
from tetanus at birth.

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from NEW WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR ©
Hesperian Health Guides 1919 Addison St Ste 304 Berkeley CA 94704
1.510.845.1447 hesperian@hesperian.org
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