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How not to get tetanus in the summer: the doctor answers
The warm season is the period of trips to the dacha, picnics in the forest. During outdoor recreation, you can injure the skin and bring tetanus pathogens into the body.
Head of the Department of Scientific Research Institute of Pediatrics, Russian National Research Medical University named after V.I. N.I. Pirogov
In soil, bacteria that can cause this disease can live for up to 100 years. She is not afraid of either heat or frost. The tetanus pathogen (clostridium) enters the human body through the wound. For example, an infection can be brought in along with a splinter or by injuring a leg on a rusty nail that has been in the ground for some time. Once in the body, the bacterium multiplies rapidly, releasing two toxins. One of them penetrates the nerve endings and causes muscle spasm. Because of this, breathing and blood circulation are impaired. The second toxin destroys red blood cells.
The disease develops rapidly and is accompanied by high mortality, up to 40% of patients die. However, you should not panic, tetanus is rare, and there is only one reason: vaccination… Only she is able to protect against infection, there are no other ways to fight.
Features of the vaccination campaign
In Russia, the tetanus vaccine is part of the DPT vaccine. The vaccination is given to children at the age of 4,5 months, repeated after 45 days. Revaccination is carried out at 6 and 14 years old, and after reaching 18 years of age, it is repeated with an interval of 10 years. The reason is that immunity to this disease is not formed for life.
First aid
It is important to know exactly your vaccination status. If the vaccination was done, then, having injured, it is enough to treat the injury site with an antiseptic. Those who for some reason did not get vaccinated or are not sure that vaccination was carried out should consult a doctor. The hospital will make anti-tetanus serum to prevent the development of the disease.
The clinical picture of tetanus was described by Hippocrates, his son died from this disease.