Tetanus (Lockjaw)

 

Tetanus is a very serious and deadly disease of the nervous system. Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which produces a toxin. The toxin can cause painful muscle contractions or tightening of jaw muscles. The spores of tetanus bacteria are found in soil, dust, and manure. These spores can get into the body through broken skin, usually through injuries from contaminated objects. Tetanus bacteria can also infect the body through breaks in the skin caused by a surgical procedure, dental infections, burns, bone fracture, or intravenous drug use.

What makes tetanus a serious illness?

Even with medical treatment, tetanus leads to death in about one to two in 10 cases, especially in those 60 years of age and older and in people who are unvaccinated. Other serious complications of tetanus include spasms of the vocal cords, broken bones, pneumonia (lung infection), and pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung).

There are no hospital lab tests that can confirm tetanus. Doctors diagnose tetanus by examining the patient and looking for certain signs and symptoms.

Tetanus is not contagious, as the bacteria lives in soil and manure and cannot be removed from the environment. It can be prevented by staying up to date on vaccination.

Symptoms of Tetanus

The most common symptom of tetanus is spasms (tightening) of the jaw muscles, which is why tetanus is often called lockjaw. Other symptoms of tetanus include:

  • Muscle spasms
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Restlessness and irritability
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Fever and sweating
  • Changes in blood pressure and heart rate

If a person has symptoms of tetanus, they can appear anywhere from three to 21 days after exposure. The further the injury site is from the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the longer it will take to see symptoms. The sooner you see symptoms after an injury, the higher the chance of death.

Transmission

Tetanus is not spread from person to person. It is the only vaccine-preventable disease that is infectious but cannot be passed from one person to another person.

Treatment

If you or someone you know gets sick with tetanus, go to the emergency room for treatment as soon as possible. Then call your health care provider or local health department.

The wound will be cleaned very well, and health care providers may provide tetanus immune globulin (TIG) or Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV), which provides short-term protection. Antibiotics and medications to control muscle spasms may also be used as treatment. Once your condition has become stable, you might receive a tetanus-containing vaccine (Td or Tdap) as well.

Vaccination is important because having tetanus disease does not result in tetanus immunity for life. You are still at risk for getting tetanus again. The risk of reinfection is one of the reasons why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a tetanus booster shot for all adults every 10 years.

Scientific Term

Tetanus

Generic Term

Lockjaw

Groups at risk

If you aren't vaccinated against tetanus or it has been too long since your last booster, you are at risk for tetanus if you get a severe and dirty wound or burn. Anyone can get tetanus, but rates of disease are highest among people who did not get all the recommended tetanus vaccinations. This includes people who have never received a tetanus vaccine and adults who don't stay up to date on their 10-year booster shots.

You may also be at higher risk for tetanus if you:

  • Have diabetes
  • Have a history of immunosuppression (weak immune system)
  • Are an injecting drug user
  • Are doing humanitarian aid work, such as constructing or demolishing buildings, in countries outside the U.S.

Vaccination Information

The best way to protect yourself against tetanus is to get vaccinated before you are exposed. The CDC recommends tetanus vaccines for people of all ages, with booster shots throughout life. If you had tetanus or got the vaccine before, you still need to get the vaccine regularly to keep a high level of protection against this serious disease.

Several types of vaccines protect against tetanus. Read the DOH webpage for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccines for more information.

Additional Information

Tetanus as a Notifiable Condition

Vaccine Information Statements

More Tetanus Facts