Tetanus

Tetanus is rare, but the chances of getting it are higher if you have not been fully vaccinated.²

Tetanus bacteria gets into the body through a skin wound, such as a scratch, burn, or animal bite. You can also catch the disease through unhygienic practices in hospital, eye injuries and burns.^2-4

Tetanus is found across the world, but some countries have higher incidences than others (see map).^1,3

Symptoms include: stiffness in the jaw muscles, painful muscle spasms that can affect swallowing and breathing, fever, sweating and rapid heartbeat.²

Tetanus can be considered a medical emergency if some key symptoms appear.^2,4

You can take the following precautions to help reduce your risk of infection:

• Visit your nearest convenient pharmacy or specialist travel health clinic for a risk assessment before your trip
• Cleaning any new wound thoroughly will reduce the risk of infection but seek medical advice if you have a deep wound, there’s dirt or something inside the wound or if you are not sure if you have been vaccinated against tetanus^2-4