tetanus
Spasm-causing bacterial infection
Tetanus is a serious bacterial infection that causes severe muscle spasms and stiffness, particularly in the jaw—hence its common name, lockjaw.
The bacteria typically enter through wounds, especially deep punctures.
Tetanus shots are routine vaccinations that prevent the disease: When did you last have a tetanus shot?
She stepped on a rusty nail and went to get a tetanus booster.
Sustained jaw muscle spasm
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- neurotoxinPoison attacking neural tissue
- woundCoiled, or an injury
- punctureHole from penetration
rusty nail · spores · anaerobic · incubation · contamination · neonatal · sepsis · soil
Sudden involuntary muscle contractions
- rigidityState of being unbending
- stiffnessResistance to deformation
- muscle contractionFibers tensing and shortening
- opisthotonusInvoluntary severe spinal arching
sardonic smile · difficulty swallowing · jaw stiffness · back arching · breathing difficulty · seizures · hypertonia · fever
Disease prevention injection
- immunizationProtective medical injection
- boosterSomething that increases strength
- shotQuick liquor serving
- inoculationInjection conferring disease resistance
prophylaxis · vaccination · immunity · antitoxin · wound care · debridement · immunoglobulin · TIG
Ground matter for planting
- puncture woundInjury from piercing object
- rusty nailOxidized metal peg
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- manureAnimal waste as fertilizer
deep wound · laceration · burn · injection · umbilical stump · surgical wound · crush injury · splinter
Toxin-neutralizing antibody
- immunoglobulinDefensive blood protein
- antibioticsBacteria-destroying medicines
- metronidazoleAntiparasitic and antibacterial medication
- sedativesDrugs that calm
muscle relaxants · ventilator · ICU · penicillin · benzodiazepines · intensive care · hospitalization · supportive care
Of earliest infancy
- maternalOf or like mothers
- developing countriesNations with growing economies
- WHOUN health authority
- eradicationTotal elimination of something
unvaccinated · childbirth · umbilical · mortality · preventable deaths · poverty · healthcare access · sanitation
lockjaw
Sustained jaw muscle spasm
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- neurotoxinPoison attacking neural tissue
- woundCoiled, or an injury
puncture · rusty nail · spores · anaerobic · incubation · contamination · neonatal · sepsis · soil · bacterium
spasms
Sudden involuntary muscle contractions
- rigidityState of being unbending
- stiffnessResistance to deformation
- muscle contractionFibers tensing and shortening
opisthotonus · sardonic smile · difficulty swallowing · jaw stiffness · back arching · breathing difficulty · seizures · hypertonia · fever · sweating
vaccine
Disease prevention injection
- immunizationProtective medical injection
- boosterSomething that increases strength
- shotQuick liquor serving
inoculation · prophylaxis · vaccination · immunity · antitoxin · wound care · debridement · immunoglobulin · TIG · pediatric
soil
Ground matter for planting
- puncture woundInjury from piercing object
- rusty nailOxidized metal peg
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
manure · deep wound · laceration · burn · injection · umbilical stump · surgical wound · crush injury · splinter · gardening
antitoxin
Toxin-neutralizing antibody
- immunoglobulinDefensive blood protein
- antibioticsBacteria-destroying medicines
- metronidazoleAntiparasitic and antibacterial medication
sedatives · muscle relaxants · ventilator · ICU · penicillin · benzodiazepines · intensive care · hospitalization · supportive care · tracheostomy
neonatal
Of earliest infancy
- maternalOf or like mothers
- developing countriesNations with growing economies
- WHOUN health authority
eradication · unvaccinated · childbirth · umbilical · mortality · preventable deaths · poverty · healthcare access · sanitation · birth attendants
- diseasescancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, influenza, measles
- infectionsviral infection, bacterial infection, fungal infection, parasitic infection, bacteremia
- infectious diseasescholera, anthrax, malaria, measles, flu
- bacterial infectionsanthrax, botulism, cholera, diphtheria, lockjaw
- Horse Ailmentscolic, laminitis, navicular, thrush, founder
- Health Threatsdisease, epidemic, pandemic, virus, outbreak
tetanusflaccid paralysis
Loss of tone and movement
muscle relaxation · hypotonia · botulism · atonia · myasthenia
tetanusinfluenza
Acute viral respiratory infection
measles · tuberculosis · COVID-19 · common cold · whooping cough
- tetanus shotImmunization against bacterial spasm disease