The first and the foremost symptom of tetanus is difficulty in opening the mouth (trismus) due to the spasm of the muscles of mastication. Hence, the disease is commonly called 'lockjaw'. It may be noted that this difficulty in opening the mouth is painless, and if one tries to open the mouth, the spasm of the muscles that closes the jaw will increase and, therefore, the patient may not be able to open his mouth widely, howsoever, he may try and, in some cases both the jaws are tightly closed and the teeth clenched.
'Lockjaw' is the earliest characteristic symptom of the disease, and the patient should not delay even if the difficulty in opening the mouth is slight, particularly when there is a history of injury in the recent past.
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Vaccines create immunity to disease by stimulating the body's natural immune system to identify, attack, destroy and remember a known pathogen, so the next time the virus enters the body it is eradicated before any cellular damage is done. Most immunization comes in the form of a shot, but some can be administered orally or through a nasal spray. While vaccinations are believed to be 100% safe by most health experts, there are some factions who believe vaccinations needlessly make people sick or place individuals at risk. Child health depends upon the use of vaccinations to protect the weak immune systems of babies. At birth, infants are administered their first Hepatitis B shot. They will receive two more at two months and again, at anywhere from six to eighteen months of age.
Tetanus is a potentially fatal disease: it acts very quickly and often kills before the body's natural primary response can take place. There are about 1million cases of tetanus a year with between 300,000-500,000deaths. It is a global problem because tetanus spores, which cause the infection, are everywhere. However, due to vaccination programmes, tetanus is rare in the UK with only about 10 cases a year; the main problems are encountered in developing countries where vaccines may be too expensive and equipment may not be properly sterilised.
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One of the most common vaccines on a vaccination schedule is DTaP or just DPT, which stands for diphtheria, tetanus, and petussis. Diphtheria is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria. It is spread by coughing and sneezing and usually begins as a sore throat and a low-grade fever. This disease can cause the airway to become obstructed. Without treatment, this obstruction can lead to a coma and even death. Tetanus (also called Lockjaw) is a disease that is caused by bacteria and affects the nervous system. It usually enters through a break in the skin (most people associate it with stepping on a rusty nail), and causes lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing in the first stages.
Child immunization is an exceptionally effective way to prevent the spread of disease. Nevertheless, it is crucial to remember that immunizations do not guarantee that your child will not become infected with the virus. There are many types of virus mutations that are incessantly changing which makes it impossible to immunize against every type of mutation. The following is information on some of the immunizations available. Hepatitis A- This vaccine protects against the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A is a severe liver disease. HAV is found in feces and is most commonly transmitted through close contact- eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. The hepatitis A vaccine should be given when your child is between 12-24 months.
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