Antibiotics to kill the tetanus germ are used and also an anti-toxin serum to neutralise the toxin produced by the germ.
How can we prevent tetanus? Active immunisation is the answer.
A vaccine, tetanus-toxoid, is given by injection into the muscles. Three injections are necessary.
The first two are given six weeks apart and the second and third injections some six months or so apart.
Primary immunisation is carried out in infants usually associated with prevention against diphtheria and whooping cough by the use of triple antigen.
After the age of two reactions to the whooping cough vaccine are common and so this is dropped.
CDT, or combined diphtheria-tetanus vaccine is used instead. Later tetanus-toxoid vaccine is given alone.
If immediate passive protection is required in those who are unimmunised, or whose immunisation may have waned with time, then tetanus immunoglobulin which is prepared from human serum is used.
This rarely causes any reaction.
Triple antigen is given to children starting at eight to 12 weeks of age. There are three injections usually a month or so apart.
At 18 months a booster of triple antigen is given. At five years a CDT and at 12 years a tetanus-toxoid vaccine alone completes the course of immunisation in the child.
If a tetanus-prone wound should happen and more than two years have passed since the last injection then a booster of tetanus-toxoid should be given.
If over 10 years has passed and a tetanus-prone wound occurs then not only the tetanus-toxoid but the tetanus immunoglobulin should also be given.
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