Minnesota officials report tetanus case in unvaccinated child in 2024
The Minnesota Department of Health reported a case of tetanus in an unvaccinated child under 10 years of age in 2024.
The child experienced pain and stiffness in the neck, and they could not breath on their own. They were intubated and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The child had no visible wounds, and parents were not aware of any recently healed wounds.
Tetanus is a diagnosis of exclusion, and as the child was unvaccinated, the providers administered tetanus vaccine and immunoglobulin immediately while other diagnoses were being ruled out.
The child remained hospitalized for a month and was discharged to inpatient rehabilitation.
Tetanus is a rare, but a very serious vaccine-preventable disease that causes significant illness and can be fatal. Also called lockjaw, it is a disease caused by bacteria that affects the body's muscles and nerves.
Podcast: Tetanus: Symptoms, treatment, prevention and more
Symptoms of tetanus include muscle spasms in the jaw, difficulty swallowing, and stiffness or pain in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, or back. The spasms can spread to the muscles of the abdomen, upper arms, and thighs. Approximately 11 percent of reported cases of tetanus are fatal.
Tetanus can occur in people who have a skin or deep tissue wound or puncture and who are not up-to-date on their tetanus vaccinations.
Tetanus cannot be spread from person to person.
Vaccination is the best way to prevent tetanus. Widespread vaccination against tetanus is critical to controlling the disease.
The tetanus vaccination is usually combined with diphtheria and/or pertussis (DTaP, DT, Tdap, or Td).
Children should get 5 doses of the DTaP vaccine before age 7.
These are usually given at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age and 4-6 years of age.
Tdap is given to children at 11-12 years of age.
Adults should get a booster every 10 years. Get one dose of Tdap vaccine if you did not get it as an adolescent. Then, get Td (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine every 10 years after that.
Pregnant women should get Tdap during each pregnancy, preferably between 27 and 36 weeks.
Minnesota health officials say this case highlights the importance of routine vaccination for tetanus.