Premium Essay

Tetanus Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 1081
Pages 5
Tetanus, or otherwise known as lockjaw1, is an infection caused by the bacterium, Clostridium tetani. This bacterium is a Gram-positive, obligate anaerobic bacillus that is capable of forming spores that are very durable and resistant to heat or common disinfectants. 2,3 These spores are found in soil, as well as in animal feces and despite it being located everywhere, tetanus is mainly reported in underdeveloped and overcrowded regions. 3 C. tetani usually penetrates the human body through wound puncture, laceration, skin breaks, or inoculation with an infected syringe or insect bites. However, this is not always the case since 20% of cases do not have an obvious entry wound identified. 1,2
Tetanus is interesting because it does not invade the body, but instead, it produces exotoxins that disperse …show more content…
However it is necessary that patients have early wound debridement, antibiotic therapy, early intramuscular or intravenous administration of the human tetanus immunoglobulin or HTIG, and neuromuscular blockade. The potent toxin, tetanospasmin is the main cause of the disease and HTIG is the first-line therapy used which discards the released toxin; however, it will not affect toxins which are already attached to the central nervous system. Wound debridement is also used to control the source of toxin production. An antibiotic used that has shown to slow the progression of tetanus is metronidazole. Penicillin was also used in the past, but stopped due to findings of synergic effects with tetanospasmin. Hospitalization in the intensive care unit is recommended for more severe cases of tetanus. Those patients who suffer from autonomic instability such as labile blood pressure, hyperpyrexia, and hypothermia are provided supportive care by clinicians. Having experienced the infection does not equate to future immunity to the patient therefore a full tetanus toxoid immunization s required at recovery.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Tetanus Research Paper

...Tetanus is a disease of the central nervous system caused by bacteria called Clostridium Tentani (pronounced Klos-TRIH-dee-um The-TAH-nye). There are four types of Tetanus: Generalised tetanus, local tetanus, Cephalic Tetanus and Neonatal Tetanus. In the most common of Tetanus, spasms continue for 3-4 weeks and recovery may take months. Tetanus is not passed person to person, rather, transmitted by spores into the injured skin and underlying tissue. These spores are found throughout the environment. They are most commonly found in soil, dust and manure (but exist virtually anywhere else). Tetanus spores multiply in open wounds and toxins enter the body. The spores don’t cause tetanus, the toxins do, when released they affect the brain and nervous system. the incubation period for this disease is between 3-21 days. The earliest descriptions of disease found in ancient Egypt. The disease is resistant to a number of disinfecting agents and to autoclaving. severe effects include suffocation, respiratory failure, pneumonia, hypertension (high blood pressure), hypotension (low blood pressure) and heart attacks. Early symptoms include lockjaw,...

Words: 894 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Tetanus Research Paper

...Those who survive Measles could be left deaf, blind, or suffer brain damage. Furthermore, Tetanus is yet another preventable disease that can infect newborns in developing countries. If the umbilical cord is cut with instruments that are unsterile or the incision is treated with contaminated dressings, the Tetanus virus can be fatal to the infant. In fact, there were 200,000 newborns, as well as, 30,000 mothers killed in 2001 due to Tetanus complications. Additionally, Haemophilus influenza type b, also known as Hib., is a bacterial infection that is airborne. Hib. Type B can cause meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia, arthritis, and cellulitis. Hib Type B is most common in children under 5 or 6 years of age. In developing countries such as...

Words: 252 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Health Regulations

...Phoenix HCS-545 Cheryl Bly April 16, 2012 Health Law and Regulations Paper Federal regulatory agencies have been created over the life of the United States to deal with specific issues that affect citizens of all states or industries that engage in business across state boundaries. Federal regulatory agencies generate and enforce rules (eHow Money, 2012). The law dictates their work. Regulatory agencies enforce federal laws and generate rules. These rules are necessary for effective enforcement. There has been a challenge of rapidly rising costs in relation to qualify of outcomes. We have an insurance system that is costly and inadequate for those who really need it. We are faced with the high cost of new technology along with artificial restrictions on the supply of drugs. We also have uninformed or unnecessary needy consumers. These are some of the issues faced. The government is involved but there involvement is with controlling the drugs and insurance and medical industry advertising. This form of spending would bring costs down. The purpose of this paper is to take a closer look at the health care regulatory agency, The Center for Disease Control. The Center for Disease Control creates tools to protect the health of people. They educate on prevention of disease, injury and disability. They work on preparing the public for new health threats. They detect and investigate health problems; conduct research to enhance prevention; foster safe and healthful environment and provide...

Words: 1437 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Why Vaccination Should Be Mandatory Essay

...When I was six years old, my mom asked me, how about eating a hamburger outside? and I answered “Yes!” and went out with her. But instead I went to a public health center, not fast food restaurant and got vaccinated. It was very painful and I cried. Many people may have an experience like me. However vaccinations help us not to suffer from a certain health problem and lead to an advantageous response to infection. We have had many inoculations decades such as polio, measles, tetanus, diphtheria, etc. As a person of South Korea, I have had many vaccinations. It plays an important role in living healthy. Therefore, I think that all nations should be mandatory vaccinations because it would protect individual and the nation’s health. According to Health Affairs, a journal about healthcare and health policy, a vaccine was attempted for the first time by Edward Jenner who was a doctor from the United Kingdom in 1796. During this time, smallpox spread throughout the UK. Meanwhile Jenner discovered that ranch workers milking cows everyday didn’t catch well the disease. There was a disease, cowpox that is similar to smallpox but a weaker form. When a person contracted cowpox, he or she could endure well than a person who caught smallpox and wasn’t stricken with smallpox anymore. Inspired by this realization Jenner invented the smallpox vaccine after some experiments using cowpox virus. Since then the term ‘vaccine’ began to be used by Louis Pasteur who has been called “microbial father”...

Words: 974 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Journal

...well informed and mannered in delivering holistic care for patients diagnosed with tetanus, as well as to gain knowledge and overview about the disease.   Specific objectives: * To imply appropriate nursing management for tetanus. * To be able to discuss the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system. * To be able to define tetanus and identify its clinical manifestations and risk factors. * To be acquainted with the different drugs for tetanus and their actions. * Plan for a suitable nursing care. * To know the purposes and specific nursing responsibilities before, during, and after some procedure done with the client. * To institute bond between the student nurse and the patient.       II. INTRODUCTION Tetanus comes from the Greek word “teiteim” which means to stretch. It is also called lockjaw. It is a serious infectious disease of the nervous system in which toxin causes severe muscle spasm. It is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers. It is caused by a bacterium Clostridium tetani. Infection generally occurs through wound contamination and often involves a cut or deep punctured wound. Tetanus is often associated with rust, but this concept is somewhat misleading. The C.Tetani is an Anaerobic bacteria which survives in an environment that lacks oxygen, thus with or without rust a person may have a tetanus once C. Tetani...

Words: 3694 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Should Vaccinate Children Safe

...The immune system produces antibodies when exposed to an invader. These antibodies persist for long periods of time and help to fight off an infection if the body sees the infection a second time. Unfortunately, these antibodies don't help much during the first infection. This is where much of the damage is done. Therefore, medical research invented vaccines. These take weakened infections or proteins from infectious diseases called antigens. It is important to note these vaccine components do not cause any deadly infections. They are merely portions of the infection or a weakened form of the infection. These vaccines train the body to fight off the infection if...

Words: 572 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Robert Koch Research Paper

...particularly in the fields of mathematics and science. It was then he decided to pursue a career in biology, and graduated from high school with said interest in mind, going on to the University of Gottingen for a degree in medicine. During his time as a student, he developed a fascination for pathology and epidemiology. After graduating in 1866, he worked as a physician in several towns and briefly served as a military surgeon during the Franco-Prussian War. Afterwards, he became the District Medical Office in Wollstein; it was under this title Koch carried out the research and breakthroughs that would later classify him as the Father of Bacteriology and Microbiology....

Words: 575 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Vaccination Controversy

...Vaccination Controversy Julie S. Bertram Excelsior College Author's note This paper was written for MLS 500: Graduate Research and Writing taught by Dr. Kyla Hammond Most healthcare professionals and leaders attribute vaccination as the single-most important reason for increasing the health of the human population during the past one hundred years. As a result, required immunizations are common in the U. S. and other developed countries. However, there is a segment of society who argue against vaccination due to worries that immunizing negatively impacts future health. More and more information is becoming available that presents allopathic vaccination in an ugly light. (Sharma, 2003) For the past century, vaccines for diptheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and now more recently, hepatitis B and varicella have programmed our immune systems to be powerful protectors of our health. Compulsory state immunization laws have increased the U.S. immunization rate to 77%, the highest ever. (Largent, 2012) Despite high immunization rates, there is an underlying progression of a movement of parents questioning whether the vaccines are contributing to health conditions such as autism. Contributing to the uncertainty are occasional anecdotal accounts of parents with children who experience adverse reactions. Fear causes many parents to entirely forego vaccines for their children. Regardless of mandatory school vaccine laws for school children, physicians can...

Words: 1554 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Vaccines Cause Autism

...In a letter to parents, Raff (2014) calls out anti-vaccine activists, “They say that vaccines aren't that effective at preventing disease. But 3 million children's lives are saved every year by vaccination, and 2 million die every year from vaccine-preventable illnesses” (Raff, 2014). Raff also addresses the fact that the MMR vaccine doesn’t cause autism, and that thimerosal doesn’t cause autism either, in fact it hasn’t been used in most vaccines since 2001. Raff encourages parents to educate themselves on the issue and to read the scientific studies that have proved that vaccines don’t cause autism. The letter also points to the fact that Wakefield’s paper that claimed a link between vaccines and autism has been withdrawn and his medical licenses revoked. Public health education campaigns have not been effective in dispelling parent’s concerns that vaccines cause...

Words: 971 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

American Specialist Hospital, Nigeria

...sustenance of health services in Nigeria. Unfortunately a lot of these contributions go through government (mostly Federal government), which has kept very little or no record of the impact these contributions make. Another issue are the records of the exact cash amount of these contributions; they are sketchy, partly due to poor record-keeping and the volume of a contributions are in services, and in equipment and training, whose cash amount is usually difficult to establish. These organizations include WHO, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UNICEF, World Bank and British Technical Assistance (BTA). However, it has come to the knowledge of most researchers that the rural areas have several problems. According to research, the critical set back to development in most developing countries of the world is the lack of proper and adequate attention to the difficulties faced by the rural regions. It is however, interesting to know that issues of rural development are being backed by philanthropists, individual researchers and the government at various levels in Nigeria. The first attempt at planning ahead for the development of health services in the country took place between 1946 and 1956 and covered all aspects of...

Words: 3692 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Organizational Structure Paper

...Organizational Structure Paper Brianne Fluegel MGT/230 March 2nd, 2015 Sylvester Taylor Organizational Structure Paper There is no better way of knowing a certain organization than actually working for them. Sanofi Pasteur, my employer, is a global pharmaceutical company. Sanofi is broken off into a few different companies, Sanofi Aventis, Sanofi, and Sanofi Pasteur. Each division has its own distinct purpose. My employers purpose at Sanofi Pasteur is formulate, fill, inspect, and package vaccines. The motto of the company is that we may live in a world where no one suffers or dies from a vaccine preventable disease and that is what the company focuses on. There are constantly new trials and on going research for new vaccines, improving the ones we already have, and expanding our reach to the world. Some diseases that we prevent with our vaccines are Influenza, Tetanus, Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Pertussis, and Dengue Fever. In order for a company that is so large and influential to be successful, the organizational structure of the company must be strong and clear. Sanofi Pasteur operates within a vertical structure. The hierarchy is run from the board of directors, to the CEO and president, to top level managers, mid level managers, and lower level managers. The company just named a new CEO to start on April 1st, 2015 after removing the previous CEO. The board, CEO, and president operate the company from France, not on our actual production campus. On campus we have...

Words: 1075 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

The Whooping Cough

...The Whooping Cough: A Rising Epidemic Zion Apple July 16th, 2015 Course #498 Capstone The Whooping Cough: A Rising Epidemic Zion Apple July 16th, 2015 Course #498 Capstone Abstract This research paper informs you about the disease pertussis or whooping cough as others may call it. This disease has been around for a very long time and even though there has been a vaccine for over 50 years, this disease seems to still be a problem. Experts are always working around the clock to find new and improved vaccines to rid the world of the pertussis bacteria. In the first section of the text the author will describe the history of the bacteria that cause the whooping cough and exactly what it is comprised of and the toxins that it carries which make the bacteria so deadly and hard to figure out and treat. The signs and symptoms of this disease are very similar to those of the common cold so many people often mistake it as such and do not seek medical advice until it is too late. The second portion of the text is going to tell you about the recent and past trends of the disease in the United States. The numbers are unpredictable and no one can seem to put a finger on the actual reason why this is, there are a few opinions however. There are a few new vaccines that have been introduced to the world and the hopes are that they will be as helpful as the old vaccine that was given over 50 years ago. “Whooping cough affects approximately 48.5 million people every year, of...

Words: 2993 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Chicken Pox Vaccination

...Herald article produced by Julie Szego, her stances towards Anti-vaxxers are very subjective and non-academic. Overall, it can be agreed with scientific and medical evidence that, vaccinations do strengthen a human being’s immune system; however with the contention that Julie has followed through…she fails to convey the validity and instead creates segregation between the supporting views. This paper aims to critique Julie’s methodology of delivering her concern, whilst providing adjustments on how this piece would have been written, if this piece were to be an objective scientific review. Vaccinations are essential for strengthening one’s immune system, via defending the body against invading organisms by producing an...

Words: 955 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Awareness on Maternal Health

...CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Introduction Health is a right of every human being. Healthy people are a pre-requisite to national development. The department of health uses the life span approach to design programs and assist in the delivery of health services to specific age groups. It views health care of individuals within the context of the family. The term family is defines as the basic unit of the community. All members of the family are empowered to maintain their health status. The health of the family is considered as a whole and not individually. (Cuevas, 2009) In the Philippines, three million pregnancies occur every year, half are unintended, one third of which end in abortions. An estimated eleven mothers die of pregnancy related causes everyday, most of these deaths could have been avoided in a properly functioning health care delivery system. Among the leading direct causes of maternal deaths in the country are: post partum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, abortion related complications and obstructed labor. Beyond the glaring data of mortality lies a huge toll of ill health and disability due to pregnancy related complications and infant and child deaths and deepening poverty in families where a mother has died. It is estimated that for every maternal death there is at least twenty to thirty other women who suffer from serious complications, some of which are life long. Maternal health conditions are the leading causes of burden of disease among women...

Words: 2159 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Childhood Vaccinations

...“Prevention is better than cure.” This common statement could not relate any better than it does with the controversy surrounding the morality, effectiveness, and safety of childhood immunizations. The major argument is whether or not laws should be established to declare vaccination mandatory for all children. “The US food and Drug administration (FDA) regulates all vaccines to ensure safety and effectiveness,” (ProCon.org, 2012) therefor there should not be any reason to risk the health of any child. Vaccinating our children not only ensures their safety but also that of their future to come. The first major concern parents have when it comes to childhood vaccinations is that of the health and safety of their children. Some parents believe that vaccines were developed to help the spread against dangerous transmittable diseases. Other parents are under the impression that vaccines themselves present high risk factors for their children. Both have strong arguing points in this controversy and have good reason to believe in what they do. Proponents argue and the facts clearly show that since the emergence of vaccines in the twentieth century for common life threatening diseases, such as measles and diphtheria, the related number of deaths has decreased by more than 500%. On the other side, opponents argue that childhood vaccines are responsible for the dramatic increase of autoimmune diseases. Many proponents argue that childhood vaccination is vital and should be...

Words: 1452 - Pages: 6