Pathogens
Clostridium tetani

Clostridium tetani

Precautions

Standard Precautions

Susceptibilities

General Information

  • Penicillin
  • Doxycycline

Anaerobic gram positive spore-forming bacilli. Produces toxins that cause painful muscle contractions in humans (lockjaw)

Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated individuals with deep wound.

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