Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015;116(1):69-77.
doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldv044. Epub 2015 Nov 22.

Eradication of tetanus

C L Thwaites  1 , H T Loan  2
Affiliations
Review

Eradication of tetanus

C L Thwaites et al. Br Med Bull. 2015.

Abstract

Introduction: The causative agent of tetanus, Clostridium tetani is widespread in the environment throughout the world and cannot be eradicated. To reduce the number of cases of tetanus efforts are focussed on prevention using vaccination and post-exposure wound care.

Sources of data: Medline, Pubmed and Cochrane databases; World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund publications.

Areas of agreement: The maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination initiative has resulted in significant reductions in mortality from neonatal tetanus throughout the world.

Areas of controversy: Although there are few data available it is likely that large numbers of children and adults, particularly men, remain unprotected due to lack of booster immunization.

Areas timely for developing research: It remains unclear how HIV and malaria affect both responses to vaccination and transplacental transfer of antibodies or how this might affect timing of vaccination doses.

Keywords: elimination; maternal; neonatal tetanus; tetanus.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Thirty-eight countries eliminated MNT between 2000 and August 2015.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
‘Developing’ *countries with % of districts achieving at least 80% DTP3 coverage, 2014. (red = less than 50%, pink = 50–79% light blue 80–99% and dark blue 100% of districts).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Thwaites CL, Yen LM, Nga NT et al. . Impact of improved vaccination programme and intensive care facilities on incidence and outcome of tetanus in southern Vietnam, 1993–2002. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2004;98:671–7. - PubMed
    1. Mull DS, Anderson JW, Mull JD. Cow dung, rock salt, and medical innovation in the Hindu Kush of Pakistan: the cultural transformation of neonatal tetanus and iodine deficiency. Soc Sci Med 1990;30:675–91. - PubMed
    1. Salinas S, Schiavo G, Kremer EJ. A hitchhiker's guide to the nervous system: the complex journey of viruses and toxins. Nat Rev Microbiol 2010;8:645–55. - PubMed
    1. Deinhardt K, Salinas S, Verastegui C et al. . Rab5 and Rab7 control endocytic sorting along the axonal retrograde transport pathway. Neuron 2006;52:293–305. - PubMed
    1. Fishman PS, Carrigan DR. Motoneuron uptake from the circulation of the binding fragment of tetanus toxin. Arch Neurol 1988;45:558–61. - PubMed