Many causes of tetanus, doctors warn of suspicious signs

Patient LV S, a 65-year-old male from Hai Duong, had a history of good health, without any signs of injury or scratches on his body. However, 10 days before being admitted to the hospital, the patient began to have symptoms of sore throat but no fever. When he came to the medical facility for examination, the patient was diagnosed with acute pharyngitis and was prescribed medication for outpatient treatment.

After 6 days of using the medicine, the patient developed unusual symptoms such as difficulty opening his mouth, difficulty speaking and poor eating. Realizing that the symptoms were getting worse, the family took the patient to a medical facility. There, he was diagnosed with tetanus and transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

At the Emergency Department of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the patient's initial condition was quite alert, no fever, no convulsions, but the ability to open the mouth was limited, only about 1cm. Notably, the patient had a clear increase in muscle tone (muscle stiffness) in the abdomen and the whole body.

Especially when there is mechanical stimulation such as touching the body, the muscles in the body will react strongly, manifested through muscle spasms and stiffness. With the initial symptoms, the patient was diagnosed with generalized tetanus. Currently, the patient is sedated and ventilated through an endotracheal tube.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Bang - Emergency Department of Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases said, in the case of patient S, there were no skin wounds or signs of trauma that could be a route of entry for tetanus spores.

Normally, tetanus bacteria enter the body through open wounds on the skin, trauma, or surgery. However, when the patient cannot clearly identify the wound, the risk of tetanus infection can still come from small scratches during previous work and daily activities that the patient did not notice, because tetanus has a long incubation period, so the patient does not remember exactly.

There are reports that tetanus appears after dental infections, such as tooth decay, tooth extraction, peri-dental abscess... In the case of patient S, doctors think more about the cause of tetanus from the oral cavity.

Additionally, in rare cases, tetanus bacteria can enter through injuries or infections of the intestinal tract, such as from surgical incisions during endoscopy or small injuries to the stomach, rectum, or anus.

Therefore, early recognition of suspicious signs (progressive jaw stiffness, muscle stiffness) and taking appropriate preventive measures are key factors in protecting health and preventing serious developments of the disease.

Doctor Bang recommends that for those who work in agriculture, manual labor, and are in frequent contact with the ground, they should get regular tetanus shots and take protective measures when working to limit injuries. In addition, any wound on the body, no matter how small, should be treated properly. Deep, dirty wounds should be treated at medical facilities, and open wounds should not be exposed to mud or dirt.

In addition, it is also necessary to ensure general oral hygiene. If symptoms such as difficulty opening the mouth, difficulty speaking, or difficulty eating appear, the patient should immediately go to a medical facility for examination and early detection of the disease...

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhieu-nguyen-nhan-gay-benh-uon-van-bac-si-canh-bao-cac-dau-hieu-nghi-ngo-post843395.html