This can lead to severe muscle spasms. Tetanus is not contagious from person to person. The infection occurs worldwide, but is more common in hot, damp climates with rich soil.
Tetanus affects the nerves that control your muscles, which can lead to difficulty swallowing. You may also experience spasms and stiffness in various muscles, especially those in your jaw , abdomen , chest, back, and neck. The incubation period — the time between exposure to the bacteria and the onset of illness — is between 3 and 21 days. Symptoms typically appear within 14 days of initial infection. Infections that occur faster after exposure are typically more severe and have a worse prognosis.
Your doctor will perform a physical exam to check for symptoms of tetanus, such as muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Unlike many other diseases, tetanus is not generally diagnosed through laboratory tests.
However, your doctor may still perform lab tests to help rule out diseases with similar symptoms. These include meningitis , a bacterial infection that affects the brain and spinal cord, or rabies , a viral infection that causes brain swelling.
Your doctor will also base a tetanus diagnosis on your immunization history. Treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms. Tetanus is typically treated with a variety of therapies and medications, such as:. In some cases, a surgical procedure called debridement is used to remove dead or infected tissue. If you have difficulty swallowing and breathing , you may need a breathing tube or ventilator a machine that moves air in and out of the lungs.
Severe muscle spasms as a result of tetanus can also cause serious health complications, such as:. Vaccination can prevent tetanus infections, but only if you receive your booster shots on schedule. In the United States, the tetanus vaccine is given to children as part of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis shot, also called the DTap shot. This is a three-in-one vaccine that protects against diphtheria , pertussis , and tetanus.
Children need to get a booster shot at 11 or 12 years of age. Adults then need a booster vaccine called the Td vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria every 10 years after that.
The bacterium that causes tetanus is called Clostridium tetani. The bacterium can survive in a dormant state in soil and animal feces. It's essentially shut down until it discovers a place to thrive. When the dormant bacteria enter a wound — a condition good for growth — the cells are "awakened. The toxin impairs the nerves in the body that control muscles.
The greatest risk factor for tetanus infection is not being vaccinated or not keeping up with the year booster shots. The tetanus vaccine is given to children as part of the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine DTaP. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection of the nose and throat. Acellular pertussis, also called whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection.
Children who do not tolerate the pertussis vaccine may receive the alternative vaccine called DT. The DTaP is a series of five shots typically given in the arm or thigh to children at ages:. A booster shot is recommended for children at age 11 or This booster is called the Tdap vaccine.
If your child didn't get a booster shot as this age, talk to your doctor about appropriate options. A booster shot is recommended for adults once every 10 years. This may be one of two vaccines, Tdap or Td. If you weren't vaccinated against tetanus as a child or are unsure about your vaccination status, see your doctor about getting the Tdap vaccine.
A booster is recommended during the third trimester of a pregnancy, regardless of the mother's vaccination schedule. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Tetanus is a serious disease of the nervous system caused by a toxin-producing bacterium.
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