Aetiology

Clostridium tetani is gram positive, anaerobic, and shaped like tennis rackets. It survives well outside of the body, and is commonly found in soil and manure, making it essentially impossible to eradicate as there’s always somewhere it can hide.

The bacteria can get into your body through puncture wounds, scratches, burns, or bites. Also, body piercings and tattoos with usterile and contaminated needles, or injecting contaminated drugs. Tetanus isn’t contagious, but it does have a 10-90% mortality, highest in infants and the elderly. [6]