Disease Forms - Tetanus

Question 1

What is Tetanus?

Answer 1

Infectious Clostridium Tetani (obligate anaerobic bacterium) - causing painful muscle spasms that can lead to death.

Question 2

Outline its lifecycle.

Answer 2

• Deep wound; spores germinate in hypoxic conditions.
• Binary Fission + toxin release from bacterial cells (causing tetanus).
• Toxins - bloodstream - transported nerve cells.
• Toxins block the release of neurotransmitters into the central nervous system - creating continuous stimulus/excitatory nerve impulses (spasms) in skeletal muscles.

Question 3

How does it spread?

Answer 3

The disease is spread through spores in soil and animal intestine/feces.
The spores latch to an open wound to infect the bloodstream (direct contact).

Question 4

What are the symptoms?

Answer 4

• Lock Jaw (can’t open mouth/swallow).
• Painful muscle spasms; can lead to loss of respiratory mechanisms, diaphragm disfunction, airway obstruction and bone fractures.
• Muscles can adopt a painful posture - opisthotonos.

Question 5

How can the disease be contained/managed?

Answer 5

• Vaccination (3 booster - adolescence) - immunisation is stimulated for longer through adulthood.
  
  • Boosters required as the body’s memory cells decline overtime.
• Wash/disinfect wound immediately