What's Tetanus and Type

Lockjaw, the another name of Tetanus symptom 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. Infection generally occurs through wound contamination and often involves a cut or deep puncture wound.

Example image show the symptom of Tetanus

Tetanus (Lockjaw) is a serious disease that causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. As the infection progresses, muscle spasms develop in the jaw (thus the name "lockjaw") and elsewhere in the body. To solved the infection can be prevented by proper immunization and by post-exposure prophylaxis.

It have 4 different types of Tetanus that affects skeletal muscle. Divide by age of human can be signification for solve. Effect of Tetanus appear on infants teen and old man.

Generalized tetanus is about 80% of cases because it's a simple common type of Tetanus. The generalized form usually presents with a descending pattern. The first sign is trismus, or lockjaw, and the facial spasms called risus sardonicus, followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty in swallowing, and rigidity of pectoral and calf muscles.

Related symptoms include elevated temperature, sweating, elevated blood pressure, and episodic rapid heart rate. Frequently Spasms and last for several minutes with the body shaped into a characteristic form called opisthotonos. Continue for up to 4 weeks for Spasms and may take months for recovery completely.

Neonatal tetanus is usually occurs in newborns. The mother who has never been immunized are at risk to infants acquired passive immunity and has high percent of risk more than others. It usually occurs through infection of the unhealed umbilical stump, particularly when the stump is cut with a non-sterile instrument. Neonatal tetanus is common in many developing countries and is responsible for about 14% (215,000) of all neonatal deaths, but is very rare in developed countries.

Cephalic tetanus is a rare form of the disease, occasionally occurring with otitis media (ear infections) in which C. tetani is present in the flora of the middle ear, or following injuries to the head. There is involvement of the cranial nerves, especially in the facial area.

Local tetanus is an uncommon form of the disease, in which patients have persistent contraction of muscles in the same anatomic area as the injury. The contractions may persist for many weeks before gradually subsiding. Local tetanus is generally milder; only about 1% of cases are fatal, but it may precede the onset of generalized tetanus.


source from Wikipedia