Post-exposure vaccination with tetanus toxoid alone, does not protect against tetanus: an illustrative case

Tetanus is a life threatening infectious disease caused by the anaerobic Gram-positive bacillus Clostridium tetani which enters the body through an open wound. A 60-years-old male patient who was referred to our institute with a history of a rusted iron with complaints of nail prick injury and difficulty in opening the mouth. This individual previously not receive tetanus immunoglobulin. Prior to coming to our institute, the rusted iron nail was extracted and he had received tetanus toxoid. After he was admitted in the tetanus ward at our institute, he developed spasms. He was treated with intravenous diazepam and tetanus immunoglobulins. Wound exploration revealed a retained residual foreign body that was a part of his rubber foot wear in the wound. He died on the sixth day of admission. The present case highlights the need for administering appropriate active and passive immunization for tetanus along with meticulous wound care.