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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffIn addition, certain factors are necessary for tetanus bacteria to proliferate in your body. These include:
- Lack of immunization or inadequate immunization — failure to receive timely booster shots — against tetanus
- A penetrating injury that results in tetanus spores being introduced to the wound site
- The presence of other infective bacteria
- Injured tissue
- A foreign body, such as a nail or splinter
- Swelling around the injury
Tetanus cases have developed from the following types of injuries:
- Puncture wounds — including from splinters, body piercings, tattoos, injection drugs
- Gunshot wounds
- Compound fractures
- Crush injuries
- Burns
- Surgical wounds
- Ear infections
- Dental infections
- Animal bites
- Infected foot ulcers in people with diabetes
- Infected umbilical stumps in newborns born of inadequately immunized mothers
References
- Tetanus: Questions and answers. Immunization Action Coalition. http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4220.pdf. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Facts about tetanus for adults. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. http://www.nfid.org/pdf/factsheets/tetanusadult.pdf.
- Sexton DJ. Tetanus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Kretsinger K, et al. Tetanus. In: Roush SW, et al. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. 4th ed. Atlanta, Ga.: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt16-tetanus.htm. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Tetanus. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec14/ch178/ch178i.html. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Diphtheria, tetanus & pertussis vaccines: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-dtap.pdf. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Tetanus, diphtheria (Td) or tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) vaccine: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-td-tdap.pdf. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Emergency wound care after a natural disaster. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/woundcare.asp. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
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