Abstract

ARANGO SOTO, Daniel; BETANCUR FRANCO, Linda Andrea; AGUIRRE MUNOZ, Carlos  and  QUEVEDO VELEZ, Augusto. Tetanus: still a public health problem!. Iatreia [online]. 2008, vol.21, n.2, pp.186-198. ISSN 0121-0793.

Tetanus is an immune-preventable disease which still causes ravages in nations without protective vaccination coverage. Its lethality rate is almost 50%. It is necessary that health personnel are familiarized with its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Tetanus is an acute illness of worldwide distribution, sporadic occurrence and low frequency in industrialized countries. Due to its high lethality rate it still is a public health problem, especially in regions with deficient preventive programs. This review presents up to date knowledge on different aspects of this important disease, with emphasis on its diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords : Antitetanic vaccination; Clostridium tetani; Tetanogenous wounds; Tetanus; Tetanus antitoxin.

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