Pathogens
Clostridium tetani

Clostridium tetani

Precautions

Routine Practices

Susceptibilities

General Information

Anaerobic gram positive spore-forming bacilli

Unvaccinated (incompletely vaccinated) individuals with wound (portal of entry)

Note there is no herd immunity as the organism is found in soil/earth and not transmitted person-to-person.

See vaccine schedules for details.

Patient who has not been vaccinated requires vaccine and tetanus immune globulin if significant injury.

Consult ID if suspected case.

Tetanus: generalized, localized, cephalic, neonatal

Deep wound with necrotic tissue highest risk.