Abstract
Immunisation against tetanus can have no influence on the natural history of the disease, for Clostridium tetani is found in the faeces of horses, cows, sheep and other animals, including man. It is particularly prevalent in soil in agricultural areas but the spores of tetanus bacilli can occur anywhere. These spores are highly resistant and can contaminate almost any substance including many items used in medicine. Like Corynebacterium diphtheriae,Cl. tetani makes an exotoxin which produces the disease. Prevention of the disease is achieved by active immunisation with toxoid or passive immunisation with antitetanus immunoglobulins. A natural attack of tetanus does not produce immunity.
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© 1978 Update Publications Ltd and George Dick
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Dick, G. (1978). Tetanus. In: Immunisation. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7633-0_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7633-0_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-0-906141-03-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-7633-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive