How do you get tetanus?

Tetanus bacteria may be found in soil, dust, and animal waste. They can enter through punctures from nails or splinters, cuts, abrasions, burns, animal bites, or wounds with crushed tissue. The bacteria make a toxin that interferes with nerve signals and can cause stiffness and spasms. Tetanus is not caused by rust itself, and it does not pass between people. Risk is influenced by the wound and by whether vaccination protection is current, so a small-looking injury should not be judged by appearance alone.

Wash your hands, rinse the injury with clean running water, clean around it with soap, and remove loose visible dirt. Cover the area with a clean dressing. Do not probe a deep puncture, close a contaminated wound yourself, or pull out an object that is firmly embedded. Contact a healthcare professional promptly for a deep, dirty, crushed, bite, burn, or puncture wound, or whenever vaccination records are unclear. A clinician can assess the injury and recommend appropriate prevention. Read more about Tetanus Vaccination.

Seek urgent help for jaw stiffness, trouble opening the mouth, swallowing difficulty, painful muscle spasms, marked stiffness, or breathing problems. Seek prompt wound care for spreading redness, warmth, swelling, discharge, fever, severe pain, or a retained foreign object. Tell the clinician the injury date, the object involved, whether soil or animal waste was present, and when you last received a tetanus-containing vaccine.

Ask whether your wound is considered high risk, whether your vaccine record provides enough protection, and whether the wound needs professional cleaning or removal of a foreign body. Ask which symptoms require emergency attention and how to keep the dressing clean.