tetanus and its causes
TRANSCRIPT
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What is tetanus & its causes? By
Amin Abusallamah
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What is tetanus?
• Tetanus, also called lockjaw, is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers.
• The primary symptoms are caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the Gram-positive obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani.
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Cont…
• Infection generally occurs through wound contamination and often involves a cut or deep puncture wound. As the infection progresses, muscle spasms develop in the jaw (thus the name "lockjaw")
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Epidemiology
• Tetanus - Greek Word -- Tetanos-to Contract• Tetanus was first described in Egypt over
3000 years ago.• Toxoid was first widely used during world war
II• Tetanus Remains a Major Public Health
Problem in the Developing World and Is Still Encountered in the Developed World.
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Cont…
• There Are Between 800 000 and 1 Million Deaths Due to Tetanus Each Year. Eighty Per Cent of These Deaths Occur in Africa and South East Asia and It Remains Endemic in 90 Countries World Wide.
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Causes of tetanus
• Tetanus is caused by the Clostridium tetani bacterium. Clostridium tetani spores are able to survive for a long time outside of the body. They are most commonly found in animal manure and contaminated soil, but may exist virtually anywhere.
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Cont…
• When Clostridium tetani enter the body they multiply rapidly and release tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin (poison that affects the nervous system). When tetanospasmin enters the bloodstream it rapidly spreads around the body, causing tetanus symptoms.
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Cont…• Tetanospasmin interferes with the signals sent
from the brain to the nerves in the spinal cord, and then on to the muscles, causing muscle spasms and stiffness.
• Puncture wounds - Clostridium tetani enters the body mainly through a skin lesion (skin cut or puncture wound).
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