WHAT IS TETANUS?
Tetanus is caused by a type of bacteria called Clostridium tetani that usually live in soil. The bacteria produce a toxin (a chemical or poison that harms the body). This toxin attaches to nerves around a wound area and is carried inside the nerves to the brain or spinal cord. There it interferes with the normal activity of nerves, especially the motor nerves that send direct messages to our muscles. Tetanus is not contagious — you can’t catch it from someone who has it. Neonatal (newborn) tetanus can occur when a baby is delivered in unsanitary conditions, especially if the cut umbilical cord is contaminated after the baby is born. Before immunizations (vaccines that help the body fight certain illnesses) were available, neonatal tetanus was a common cause of newborn death because the disease is almost always fatal in infants. Because of improved surgical procedures and techniques for cutting the umbilical cord, however, newborn tetanus is now rare in developed countries. Starting at
