TETANUS VACCINE

Tetanus Tdap Td Vaccine in Kathmandu Nepal

 

Got a scratch from a stray metal? Got prickled by a nail or rusty metal?  Got a burn? Got into an accident? Be very careful and get a Tetanus Vaccine immediately.

Call Clinic One Kathmandu at  9861966614 or email us at info@clinicone.com.np and get Tetanus, Tdap, Td Vaccine promptly. You can get the vaccine at our clinic in Jawalakhel or Bhaktapur. We can offer this at your home also.

The tetanus vaccine is a precautionary move. Many colleges and universities also require that students get a Tetanus vaccine amongst others before they start. If you will be studying outside Nepal in the US or other countries, get your full vaccination package, which includes tetanus before you travel and stay protected. 

What is Tetanus? What are its causes?

Tetanus is a non-communicable disease contracted through exposure to the spores of the bacterium called Clostridium tetani. It is a bacterial infection characterized by muscle spasm which begins in the jaw and then slowly progresses to the rest of the body.

The bacteria is commonly found in soil, dust, and animal intestinal tracts due to which eradication of this disease is next to impossible. The neurotoxins produced under the active condition of wounds contaminated with the bacteria results in tetanus.

Tetanus during pregnancy is called “Maternal Tetanus” while tetanus occurred within the first 28 days of life and is called “Neonatal Tetanus”. The tetanus vaccine is often believed to be different from any other due to its preventable characteristics.

A total of six doses of tetanus vaccine should be taken mandatorily after birth. Five of these are recommended during childhood and the sixth one is given during the adolescence period. Referring to the general concept, everyone is believed to be initially immune after the 3 doses of the vaccine. In case of an external injury having exposure to the contaminated bacteria, one should be immunized with the vaccine within 48 hours of an injury.

Tetanus is the most common and serious in newborns and their mothers due to improper sterilization procedures and an unhealthy environment while giving birth in rural areas. In 2017, WHO estimated that neonatal tetanus killed about 30,848 newborn children which was around a 96% reduction from the situation in 1988.

Following are the complications and problems of having tetanus:

• The involuntary tightening of the vocal cord that lasts temporarily for 30-60 seconds
• The repetitive muscle spasm and convulsions that leads to fractures in the vertebrae
• Muscle rigidity makes coughing and swallowing difficult and can lead to lower respiratory tract infection
• In case the tetanus infection spreads to the brain it can cause tetanus seizure
• Pulmonary embolism is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel in the lungs that can affect the breathing and circulation process having a potential threat to one’s life
• Rhabdomyolysis is where the skeletal muscles are rapidly destroyed resulting in a muscle protein leakage into the urine

The complete 5-dose course of tetanus vaccination is the best way to prevent a tetanus infection from occurring. The vaccine immunizes your body against the tetanus toxin providing protection from the illness or any exposure to bacterial growth.

The vaccine course involves the Primary Immunization (given to babies at 2,4 and 6 months of age) process and the Secondary Immunization (given to children aged 4 to 5 years and aged 12 to 13 years) process.

Immediate attention and good care to the wound like blisters, scrapes or any break in the skin stops the advancement of toxic bacteria leading to tetanus.

Tetanus Vaccine available at Clinic One Kathmandu

Brand Name

BEtt

Dose and Route of Administration

0.5ml, Intramuscularly

What is Tetanus?

Tetanus is an infection that is caused by a bacteria called Clostridium tetani which can attack the muscles and nervous system. It is a serious infection that may be fatal in some cases. The bacterium lives in the dirt and soil which may enter your body through a cut or a wound in the skin. The bacteria secrets a toxin that causes the illness.

Even small wounds such as a prick from a thorn can allow enough bacteria to get into the body to cause tetanus. The illness usually takes 7-8 days to develop but can vary from one day to two months.

Side effects

• Pain and redness at the area of injection
• Fever, feeling tired and minor muscle pains occur in less than 10°/o of people.
• Severe allergic reactions may occur in less than one in hundreds of thousands of people.

Contraindication

• The vaccine is postponed if the person has a fever, illness
• Do not take tetanus toxoid if you are allergic to it or any of the other ingredients of this injection.

Drug interaction

• Mycophenolate Mofetil
• Mercaptopurine
• Immune suppressive agent

The tetanus vaccine is actually given combined with other vaccines. There are three types of combination vaccines:

• For young children, the preschool booster is normally part of combined diphtheria/tetanus/acellular whooping cough (pertussis)/inactivated polio vaccine (DTaP/JPV or DTaP/IPV).
• For children aged less than 10 years, the vaccine is usually part of the combined diphtheria/tetanus/acellular whooping cough (pertussis) inactivated polio vaccine/plus Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP/l PV/H ib).
• For adults and teenagers who receive tetanus immunization, combined tetanus, diphtheria/inactivated polio vaccine (Td/IPV) is normally used.

The vaccine prompts your body to produce antibodies against the tetanus toxin. These antibodies protect you from tetanus infection.

Tetanus Immunization Schedule

All children are offered tetanus immunization as part of the routine immunization program. A full course of tetanus immunization consists of five doses of vaccine as follows:

If your wound or injury is exposed to high risk for tetanus (for example, where there has been significant contact with soil or manure) then an injection of human tetanus immunoglobulin is usually given, regardless of whether you have been immunized against tetanus or not. This gives extra protection against tetanus.

The primary course of three injections gives good protection for a number of years. The fourth and fifth doses (boosters) maintain protection. After the fifth dose, there is no need for any further boosters as the immunity remains for a lifetime (apart from some travel situations – see ‘I am going abroad’. below)

Additional Information at Center for Disease Control

Clinic One has walk-in appointments for all kinds of vaccines available at our clinic. We are open on all weekdays except Saturday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.