Clostridium Tetani
Clostridium tetani is a pathogenic bacterium. It is a gram positive bacillus, which means it possesses thick cell walls made of peptidoglycan and appear as rod shaped. C. tetani is an obligate anaerobe that form spores which are resistant to heat and exposure to oxygen (Brüggemann, 2015). This ability to form spores allows the cell to survive in harsh conditions, packing everything it needs to survive until conditions improve. C. tetani is found mostly in warm, damp areas, especially in soil, but can also be found in the intestines or feces of many animals (Wells, 1983). The medical importance of bacterial endospores is significant. While it is typically pretty easy to kill off vegetative cells, no matter how scary a pathogen they may be, bacterial
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It is the only vaccine preventable disease that is infectious, but not contagious. This means it cannot be transferred in any way from person to person. The main protector of the vaccine is a tetanus toxoid by the name of tetanospasmin. To make this scientists take the tetanus toxin, the substance that tetanus bacteria produce which makes people sick. They inactivate it with chemicals so it cannot harm anyone, which results in a dead toxin that is called a toxoid. The toxoid teaches your immune system how to fight tetanus, but will not make you sick. The vaccine that protects us against tetanus is virtually one hundred percent effective. Immunization usually protects against tetanus infection for ten years. In the United States, immunizations begin in infancy with the DTaP series of shots. The DTaP vaccine is a three in one vaccine that protects against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (Patris, 2016). Protection from tetanus decreases over time therefore a booster, the Tdap vaccine, is used to maintain immunity in those age seven and older. Older teenagers and adults who get injuries, especially puncture type wounds, should get a tetanus booster if it has been more than ten years since the last booster (Gupta, 2014). Beyond vaccinations and boosters healthcare providers encourage extra precautions for the public such as cleaning all skin injuries with soapy water and keep them covered heal. Although a scrap or burn may
It is the only vaccine preventable disease that is infectious, but not contagious. This means it cannot be transferred in any way from person to person. The main protector of the vaccine is a tetanus toxoid by the name of tetanospasmin. To make this scientists take the tetanus toxin, the substance that tetanus bacteria produce which makes people sick. They inactivate it with chemicals so it cannot harm anyone, which results in a dead toxin that is called a toxoid. The toxoid teaches your immune system how to fight tetanus, but will not make you sick. The vaccine that protects us against tetanus is virtually one hundred percent effective. Immunization usually protects against tetanus infection for ten years. In the United States, immunizations begin in infancy with the DTaP series of shots. The DTaP vaccine is a three in one vaccine that protects against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (Patris, 2016). Protection from tetanus decreases over time therefore a booster, the Tdap vaccine, is used to maintain immunity in those age seven and older. Older teenagers and adults who get injuries, especially puncture type wounds, should get a tetanus booster if it has been more than ten years since the last booster (Gupta, 2014). Beyond vaccinations and boosters healthcare providers encourage extra precautions for the public such as cleaning all skin injuries with soapy water and keep them covered heal. Although a scrap or burn may