Who gets tetanus?
Persons who have not been vaccinated adequately against tetanus are the most likely to get the disease. Tetanus occurs more often in older people who have not received adequate booster doses of vaccine and in agricultural workers where contact with animal manure is more likely. How is tetanus spread? The tetanus bacteria enter the body through a wound that is contaminated with the bacteria. It is not spread from person to person. Where are the tetanus bacteria found? The tetanus bacteria live throughout the environment and are commonly found in soil contaminated with manure. What are the symptoms of tetanus? A common first sign of tetanus is muscular stiffness in the jaw (lockjaw), followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty in swallowing, rigidity of abdominal muscles, and spasms. How soon after infection do symptoms occur? The incubation period is usually ten days but may range from three days to three weeks. Shorter incubation periods are associated with more heavily contaminated
