When toxin from bacteria in soil enters skin wounds.

  • Commonly transmitted through cuts from gardening (particularly rose thorns), animal bites and rusted metal
  • Those most at risk include the very young and the very old
  • Symptoms include painful muscle spasm (lock jaw) and convulsion
  • About 1 in 10 people with tetanus die
  • The vaccination is now usually given combined with diphtheria, and/or whooping cough and and/or polio

Tetanus is a routine vaccination which may need to be updated prior to travel.

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