Tetanus Disease - Project Presentation

TETANUS DISEASE PROJECT By: Melissa Siha Introduction What is Tetanus? Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a critical and lifethreatening disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. This bacterium is primarily found in soil, animal feces, and open environments, and it produces a toxin called tetanospasmin. This toxin hinders the nerve signals in the body, leading to various painful and uncontrollable muscle contractions. Clostridium tetani produces spores, singlecelled reproductive units that can grow into a new organism, which then enters the body through various wounds, cuts, burns, and openings in the skin. Once this bacterium is in the skin, the spores can become bacteria that release the toxin tetanospasmin. This generally occurs in the jaw and neck area. Symptoms Aside from the excruciating pain that comes with Tetanus, symptoms normally start with severe stiffness in the jaw, hence why it’s also referred to as “lockjaw,” where it is as hard as to just opening the mouth or swallowing. Then it progresses to painful muscle contractions that spread to the neck, chest, back, and abdominal muscles. This causes an immense amount of muscle tightness where it’s difficult to even speak or breathe. Symptoms also include a fever, sweating, rapid heart rate, and high blood pressure. In the worst case possible, these contractions and spasms can be strong enough to cause bone fractures or even respiratory failure. These symptoms can appear in a span of 8 to 21 days after the bacteria take hold in the body. The Organism Behind Tetanus The organism behind Tetanus, as mentioned before, is a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. This bacterium takes a series of steps to affect the body immensely. Steps include entering the body through wounds, releasing spores which become active bacteria, then the bacteria produces a toxin (tetanospasmin), after that, it further takes a toll on the nerve function, causing muscles to spasm uncontrollably and causing numerous complications in the human body. Clostridium Tetani Routes to Exposure The most common route to get infected is through contaminated wounds, dirt, feces, or saliva. These wounds would provide a low-oxygen environment that would grow tetani spores. Another way is through burns and crush injuries. These injuries typically involve dead tissue, which can harbor bacteria and promote their growth. Dental infections and insect bites can also harbor bacteria. In addition, newborns can get Tetanus through unclean delivery practices or contaminated umbilical cord care. This is usually common in areas with low vaccination coverage. However, Tetanus is not contagious, meaning it cannot be transmitted from person to person. When spores enter the body through a break in the skin, it is then only considered Tetanus. Treatment As unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease Tetanus, there are some ways to treat it if the individual possesses it. Treatment involves neutralizing the toxin (tetanospasmin), eliminating the bacteria, and providing as much supportive care as needed. To do this, the contaminated individual is hospitalized, and they receive wound cleaning, administration of Tetanus immune globulin (TIG), antibiotics, and other medications to control their muscle spasms. The patient may require intensive supportive care, such as respiratory support and IV fluids. To avoid Tetanus as a whole, there is fortunately a vaccine called the Tetanus toxoid vaccine. This vaccine can prevent multiple diseases at once. For children, they can receive a series of DTaP vaccines, which protect against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis. Adults can receive booster shots with Tdap or Td every ten years. Even after the individual is contaminated with Tetanus, they can receive the vaccine after the treatment, but not during the illness itself, to prevent it from happening again. Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=g0cd6iVfNbw Biblography https://www.cdc.gov/Tetanus/causes/index.html https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/Tetanus/symptoms-causes/syc-20351625 https://www.who.int/health-topics/Tetanus#tab=tab_1 https://www.cdc.gov/Tetanus/about/index.html https://www.verywellhealth.com/Tetanus-overview4165512#:~:text=Tetanus%20is%20a%20serious%20but,been%20contaminated%20with%20Clostrid ium%20tetani. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/Tetanus.htm?utm_ https://www.cdc.gov/Tetanus/causes/index.html?utm_s https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/Tetanus/facts?utm_ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/Tetanus/diagnosis-treatment/drc20351631#:~:text=Wound%20care,Lifestyle%20and%20home%20remedies https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-anddiseases/Tetanus#:~:text=How%20is%20Tetanus%20treated?,such%20as%20a%20fast%20heartb eat