Cause: Toxin produced by the spore-forming bacterium Clostridium tetani.
Illness and treatment: Tetanus is a toxin-mediated disease that enters the body through contaminated wounds, typically puncture wounds. Most cases are generalized tetanus, characterized by descending rigidity and painful spasms of skeletal muscles. These spasms often begin in the jaw and neck, a condition commonly referred to as "lockjaw." The illness is clinically diagnosed and requires immediate medical intervention to manage spasms and prevent severe, potentially fatal complications. Treatment includes the administration of human tetanus immune globulin (TIG), antibiotics, wound care, and supportive measures to manage symptoms and prevent complications.
Sources: Tetanus is a noncommunicable disease; it does not spread from person to person. Bacterial pores are widely distributed in dust, soil and in the intestinal tracts (and feces) of animals and humans. Clostridium tetani usually enters the body through breaks in the skin (apparent or inapparent) such as puncture wounds, burns, or deep tissue injuries.
Additional risks: Nearly all reported cases of tetanus in the United States are in people with no vaccination or have not received a booster within in the last 10 years.
Prevention: Vaccination with a regular booster dose every 10 years is recommended to maintain protection against tetanus. A dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine may be needed sooner than 10 years after a severe or dirty wound or burn. Tetanus disease does not result in tetanus immunity.
Purpose of Reporting and Surveillance
- To assist in the diagnosis of potential cases and facilitate prompt administration of tetanus immune globulin (TIG)
- To identify groups at risk for tetanus (due to under-immunization, occupation, drug use, etc.) and focus prevention efforts
Legal Reporting Requirements
- Health care providers and health care facilities: notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 3 business days
- Laboratories: no requirements for reporting.
- Local health jurisdictions: notifiable to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable Disease Epidemiology (CDE) within 7 days of case investigation completion or summary information required within 21 days.