In what situations is tetanus necessary? What are the situations in which tetanus is necessary?

Tetanus is an anaerobic bacteria. If the wound is deep or caused by rusty metal, it is very likely to cause tetanus. There are many other situations in life that may cause tetanus, so it is important to do a good job of disinfection. So under what circumstances is it necessary to take a tetanus shot?

The wound is thin and deep

When the wound is deep enough to require stitches, or when it is caused by some serious external injuries, such as punctures or wounds by sharp objects such as nails, wood, and thorns, and bleeding occurs, such wounds are deep and thin, and are the breeding ground for tetanus bacteria.

The wound opening is small, and there is necrotic tissue or blood clots inside the wound, or the wound is packed too tightly or there is local ischemia, which creates an oxygen-deficient environment suitable for the growth and reproduction of tetanus bacteria. If aerobic infection is present, the latter will consume the remaining oxygen in the wound, making tetanus more likely to occur.

If the wound is only superficial and not deep, there is no need to inject tetanus antitoxin as long as proper cleaning is done. Or you can just use some disinfectant such as mercurochrome to wipe it on the surface. If the wound is dry and there is no exudate, there is no need to wipe it again.

Metal injuries

Tetanus bacteria mostly grow in soil and rust, so if the wound is deep and contaminated with soil or is pierced by rusty iron objects, tetanus antitoxin should be injected.

Animal bites

Common situations include being bitten by pets such as cats and dogs. If the wound is deep, even if the pet has been vaccinated, it is necessary to get a tetanus shot for safety reasons.

Neonatal Tetanus

Neonatal tetanus, also known as "four-six wind", "umbilical wind", "seven-day wind", etc., is an acute and severe infectious disease caused by Clostridium tetani invading the navel, producing toxins and causing the disease to be characterized by clenched jaws and systemic muscle rigidity and spasm.

With the application and promotion of new delivery techniques in urban and rural areas of my country, the incidence of this disease has been significantly reduced. However, it can still occur in remote mountainous areas, rural areas and by private birth attendants.

Other possible causes of tetanus

In addition to possibly occurring after various traumas, it may also occur in women and newborns who give birth under unclean conditions, and after informal abortions. Otitis media, pressure sores, tooth extraction and intrauterine ring placement may all cause this disease. The number of drug addicts suffering from tetanus due to intravenous drug injection using unclean syringes is also on the rise.

The sooner the tetanus shot is given, the more effective it is. Doctors usually recommend that patients get the tetanus shot within 24 hours. However, due to various reasons, some of the injured did not receive tetanus within 24 hours. For this reason, many people feel that if the injury lasts more than 24 hours, it is meaningless to prevent tetanus.