Clinical Profile and Outcome of Adult Tetanus: A Case Series at A Tertiary Care Center in Western Rajasthan

Abstract

Tetanus is an acute, serious neurological disease that results from a toxin produced by Clostridium tetani. Although the incidence of tetanus has decreased considerably worldwide due to immunization programs, the disease still results in a considerable amount of morbidity and mortality in developing countries, especially in adults who have not been adequately immunized. Generalized tetanus is still a treatable condition if it is identified early and treated aggressively in an intensive care unit. Severe disease is often associated with extensive use of intensive care facilities and mechanical ventilation. Early airway protection, sufficient spasm control, immunoglobulin therapy, careful supportive care, and infection monitoring are all key factors in determining good outcomes. Increasing vaccination rates and public awareness of the importance of adult immunization is still crucial to protect against this deadly and vaccine-preventable disease. We present a series of five adult patients with generalized tetanus treated in a specialized tetanus intensive care unit (ICU) in a tertiary care center.