Tetanus
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is an acute, often fatal disease,
caused by a toxin (poison) produced by
bacteria.
This toxin acts on the central nervous
system to cause painful muscle stiffness and
spasms.
How serious is it?
Tetanus is very serious disease. About 20
per cent of people who get tetanus in
Australia will die as a result.
It can cause breathing problems and
paralysis (unable to move parts of the body).
The muscle spasms it causes can be strong
enough to break a child’s spine or other
bones.
Tetanus does not spread from person to
person.
Who is most at risk?
In Australia, tetanus is rare owing to good
vaccination uptake. It is uncommon in
people who have received 4 or more doses
of the tetanus vaccine within the last 10
years.
Tetanus usually occurs in older people:

who have never been vaccinated

if their immunity from the vaccine has
waned.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of tetanus generally appear 3 to
21 days after injury exposure, but can be
within a range of 1 day to several months.
Symptoms can include:

painful muscle stiffness all over the body

trouble swallowing
A child might need weeks of hospital care.

seizures (jerking or staring)
As many as 1 out of 5 people who get
tetanus die.

fever and sweating

high blood pressure and fast heart rate.
It can take months to recover fully from
tetanus.
For this reason you should make sure you
are fully vaccinated against this disease.
How do you get tetanus?
Tetanus tends to occur in people following
injury.
It is caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria
(commonly found in soil) that penetrate the
skin. Some examples of how this may
happen include:

a prick from a rose thorn

a scratch from a rusty nail

a dog bite.
Tetanus is often called lockjaw because your
jaw muscles tighten and you cannot open
your mouth.
How do I know I have tetanus?
If you experience painful muscles, muscle
spasms or trouble swallowing after a minor
injury (that punctures the skin), you should
see your doctor.
Your doctor will assess your symptoms and
your immunisation status.
If symptoms are severe you should contact
your local emergency department to seek
advice and direction.
Notifiable disease
Tetanus is a notifiable disease so doctors,
hospitals and laboratories must inform the
Department of Health of you or your child’s
diagnosis. Notification is confidential.
Treatment of tetanus
Remember

Ensure that your immunisations are kept
up to date.

If you have wounds following any injury,
keep them clean.

See your doctor if you encounter any
muscle pain/stiffness or infection of the
wound.

Seek advice from your doctor early,
particularly if your vaccinations are not
up-to-date.
Treatment varies depending on the severity
of symptoms.
A tetanus injection is administered to people
with mild symptoms, and an antibiotic is
used to treat the wound.
In severe cases the person will be admitted
to a hospital intensive care unit to treat
difficulty in breathing and muscle paralysis.
How can tetanus be prevented?
Acknowledgements
Public Health

to all children at 2, 4 and 6 months of age
This publication is provided for education and information purposes
only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Information
about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply
endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your
healthcare professional. Readers should note that over time
currency and completeness of the information may change. All users
should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional for a
diagnosis and answers to their medical questions.

a booster dose is given at:
See also
Ensure that your vaccinations are up to date.
A course of 4 injections are offered:
o 4 years

About immunisation
o 12 to 13 years

Childhood immunisation schedule

Vaccination safety
o 50 years.
Keep a record of your vaccination history to
remind you of booster doses.
Where to get help

See your doctor.

Visit a GP after hours.

Ring Healthdirect Australia on
1800 022 222.
This document can be made available in
alternative formats on request for a person
with a disability.
Produced by the Communications
Directorate © Department of Health
2015
Copyright to this material is vested in the State
of Western Australia unless otherwise
indicated.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of
private study, research, criticism or review, as
permitted under the provisions of the Copyright
Act 1968, no part may be reproduced or re-used
for any purposes whatsoever without written
permission of the State of Western Australia.