The Life-Threatening Risk of a Dirty Wound: A Lesson From the Past

Tetanus is a severe and potentially life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Clostridium Tetani. It is a gram-negative anaerobe, often found in soil in spore form and in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. It produces a potent neurotoxin called tetanospasmin. The presence of this toxin on the affected wound contributes to its pathogenesis. In developed countries such as the United Kingdom, tetanus poses a diagnostic challenge as cases are becoming scarce and, therefore, difficult to diagnose in an acute setting following the national immunisation programme in 1961. The prognosis of an acute tetanus can be derived from several risk-stratifying scoring systems such as the Tetanus Severity Score (TSS), with any score above 8 representing a 53% case-fatality rate. Prompt clinical diagnosis, immediate delivery of treatment and strict adherence to the national vaccination programme are paramount to suppress the incidence and the fatality rate from tetanus.