Pathogens
Clostridium tetani

Clostridium tetani

Precautions

Standard Precautions

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.

Tetanus: generalized, localized, cephalic, neonatal

Deep wound with necrotic tissue highest risk. See Tetanus Recommendations in SSTI pathway regarding immunoglobulin/Td vaccination.