Clostridium tetani

Precautions

Standard Precautions
Standard Precautions

General Information

Pathogen information

Anaerobic gram positive spore-forming bacilli

Epidemiology

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

Associated syndromes

Tetanus:

  • Generalized

  • Localized

  • Cephalic

  • Neonatal

Additional Information

Deep wound with necrotic tissue highest risk