Tetanus
Tetanus is a serious bacterial disease acquired when spores from the environment enter damaged skin. It causes painful muscle stiffness and spasms and can interfere with swallowing or breathing. It is a medical emergency. Unlike many vaccine-preventable infections, tetanus does not spread from one person to another, and recovering from it does not reliably prevent another infection.
Prevention: Mixed
Symptoms
- Jaw stiffness or spasms, often called lockjaw
- Painful muscle stiffness and sudden spasms
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Fever and sweating
Transmission
- Environmental spores entering cuts, punctures, burns, or other wounds
- Contamination of damaged skin with soil, dust, manure, or saliva
Prevention
Stay up to date with tetanus vaccination and clean wounds promptly. Seek professional advice for deep, punctured, dirty, or badly damaged wounds. Depending on the wound and vaccination history, additional protection may be needed; do not wait for symptoms.
Diagnosis and care
Suspected tetanus needs immediate hospital care. Treatment addresses the infection, the wound, and muscle spasms, and may include breathing support. A clinician usually diagnoses it from symptoms and the exposure history.
Source
- About Tetanus
Based on CDC information
Source language: English
Source reviewed: May 30, 2025
Source accessed: May 17, 2026
- CDC: Tetanus Causes and How It Spreads
Based on CDC information
Source language: English
Source accessed: October 7, 2026
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