Tetanus

I recently had a trip to the ER for a puncture wound on my finger. I couldn't recall my last Tetanus booster, so I got another. That of course got me pondering if I should have received another booster and I decided to delve into the disease a bit more.

Chances are that they have caught tetanus.

Anyway what's so big deal about tetanus?

Tetanus is caused by a species of bacteria that infests on the surface of rusty metal, in areas with hot, damp climate and soil rich in organic matter.



The bacteria enters the body via puncture wounds and it takes 8-15 days to incubate. The further the wound from the central nervous system, the longer it takes to incubate. In my case the wound is on my toe, so I figure I might experience some symptoms of tetanus in a weeks' time.



The bacteria releases tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin that affects skeletal muscle. As a result, the victim would suffer from facial spasms, followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty in swallowing, and rigidity of pectoral and calf muscles. Other symptoms include elevated temperature, sweating, elevated blood pressure, and episodic rapid heart rate.

Spasms may occur frequently and last for several minutes with the body shaped into a characteristic form. Spasms continue for up to 4 weeks, and complete recovery may take months. Mortality rates reported vary from 40% to 78%, and it affects not only human, but also horses, dogs and other animals.




Anyway I should've got myself an injection to prevent tetanus but... miss me if I do get infected



So all in all my arm was sore for 12 hours and the odds of me contracting tetanus are now slim to none.  I'll call it a win.
info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus