Tetanus (lockjaw) factsheet
Introduction
Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a serious illness caused by bacteria found in soil. The bacteria enter the body through cuts and wounds and release a toxin that affects the muscles and makes it hard to breathe. Tetanus is now rare in Australia thanks to the tetanus vaccine.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms usually appear within 3 - 21 days after a cut or wound, usually around day 14.
The faster the symptoms start, the more serious the infection is.
Symptoms may include:
- jaw and neck muscle spasms
- lockjaw – cannot open the mouth
- trouble swallowing or breathing
- painful body spasms
- abnormal heart rhythms.
Serious complications include:
- suffocation
- breathing failure
- pneumonia
- high blood pressure
- heart attack.
Children and teenagers most at risk include those who:
- have not had the tetanus vaccine
- live or play around horses, soil or dust
- use needles for medicine or drugs
- are travelling to parts of Asia, South America or Africa
- have high-risk wounds.
High-risk wounds include:
- deep cuts or punctures from things like rusty nails or plants
- wounds that have had contact with soil, manure, or foreign objects like splinters
- compound fractures – where a bone breaks through the skin
- burns
- animal bites or scratches.
Diagnosis
Tetanus is usually diagnosed based on:
- information about the cut or wound
- your child’s symptoms
- immunisation history.
It is hard to confirm with lab tests.
Treatment
Tetanus is life-threatening. In severe cases, it can cause death, even with fast medical care.
Treatment may include:
- antitoxins to stop the toxin
- care in hospital
- medicine to control spasms
- antibiotics to kill the bacteria
- breathing support if needed
- vaccination.
See your local doctor as soon as possible if your child has a dirty or deep wound.
A booster of the tetanus vaccine may be needed depending on when the last dose was given.
Management
Tetanus vaccine
In NSW, the tetanus vaccine is given with other vaccines as part of the routine immunisation schedule at:
- 2, 4, and 6 months: six-in-one diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine
- 18 months: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough vaccine
- 4 years: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio vaccine
- high school age: a booster dose of reduced antigen diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccine.
Catch-up vaccines are free for people who haven’t been fully vaccinated, including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
- refugees and asylum seekers over 10 years old.
Booster doses can be given to any child who has a wound that is at risk of tetanus.
Immunity fades over time, so booster shots are needed. A full course for people who have never been vaccinated includes three doses one month apart, with two boosters given 10 years apart.
Side effects from vaccines are uncommon and usually mild. They can include:
- pain or swelling where the needle went in
- a mild fever
- feeling unsettled and sleepy.
Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns or if your child is unwell or has previously had a reaction to a vaccine.
