Author: peterhutch
It is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease of the central nervous system that is caused by an infection of a wound with spores of the bacterium, Clostridium tetani. The spores live in the soil. When spores enter the body through a wound, they can multiply and produce a toxin that affects the nerves that control muscle activity.
Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a serious but preventable disease that affects the body\'s muscles and nerves. It typically arises from a skin wound that becomes contaminated by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani, which is often found in soil.
What are the main causes of tetanus?
he bacteria that cause tetanus, Clostridium tetani, are found in soil, dust and animal feces. When they enter a deep flesh wound, spores of the bacteria may produce a powerful toxin, tetanospasmin, which acts on various areas of your nervous system. The effect of the toxin on your nerves can cause muscle stiffness and spasms — the major signs of tetanus.
Clostridium tetani:
Reproductive cells (spores) of Clostridium tetani are found in the soil and enter the body through a skin wound. Once the spores develop into mature bacteria, the bacteria produce tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin (a protein that poisons the body\'s nervous system) that causes muscle spasms. In fact, tetanus gets its nickname — lockjaw — because the toxin often attacks the muscles that control the jaw.
The bacteria that cause tetanus are common and widespread, and it is the nature of the wound, rather than the presence or absence of rust or iron that is connected with tetanus. The bacterium that causes tetanus is Clostridia bacteria, in the family of C. tetani. It can be found in soil, dust, feces and on even on the surface of the skin. The bacteria only reproduces in the absence of oxygen, so any deep wound can become a breeding ground.
Obviously, a rusty nail can cause a deep wound. So can many other objects from gardening tools, sewing needles, animal bites, splinters workshop tools, etc. Any object, whether it is rusty or not, that punctures or damages the skin, can lead to tetanus Also, injuries that create dead skin, like burns and frostbite, can also lead to a tetanus infection.
Some other causes of tetanus are:
Dental or periodontal pathology :
Associated with temperature sensitivity and pain upon biting
TMJ disorders :
Associated with unilateral or bilateral achy pain and diffuse tenderness of the masseter and temporalis muscles
Exaggerated by jaw use
Joint may be tender to palpation
'Clicking' sounds are often present
More common in females age <50 data-blogger-escaped-br="br">
Giant cell (temporal) arteritis :
Unilateral pain in older patients
Headache, jaw claudication, and vision loss
Mucosal lesions (buccal mucosa, hard and soft :
palate, floor of mouth, or oropharynx)
Aphthous ulcers
Herpes simplex or coxsackievirus B
Cancer
Tongue or lip lesions
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com
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