What should you know about tetanus immunisation?

The vaccine trains the immune system to recognise tetanus toxin, which can cause painful muscle tightening, difficulty opening the mouth and trouble swallowing. Protection is built through the recommended vaccination schedule and may need booster doses because immunity can lessen over time. Tetanus does not usually spread from person to person; bacteria are more often introduced through a wound contaminated with soil, dust or saliva.

A vaccination history helps a clinician decide whether routine protection is up to date. A wound can still need prompt assessment even when it looks small, especially if it is deep, punctured, contaminated, caused by a bite, or contains damaged tissue.

Wash a wound with clean running water, remove visible dirt gently and cover it with a clean dressing. Do not seal a deep or contaminated wound with household glue, and do not delay medical advice while trying to check your vaccine record.

Contact a healthcare professional promptly if the wound is deep, punctured, heavily soiled, caused by an animal or human bite, or if you are unsure about previous doses. The clinician may recommend a vaccine dose and, for some higher-risk wounds when protection is incomplete or uncertain, additional tetanus-specific treatment. Antibiotics are not a substitute for immunisation.

Seek urgent medical care for jaw stiffness, painful muscle spasms, difficulty swallowing, breathing difficulty or rapidly worsening muscle tightness after a wound. These symptoms need immediate assessment because tetanus can affect the muscles used for breathing.

Get same-day advice for a wound with spreading redness, increasing swelling, pus, fever, numbness, severe pain or an embedded object. Emergency assessment is also appropriate for uncontrolled bleeding, a large wound or an injury involving the eye, face, hand or genitals.

Ask which tetanus doses are recorded, whether a booster is needed for your wound, whether the wound needs cleaning or closure, and which changes should prompt urgent review. Tell the clinician about allergies, pregnancy, immune problems and medicines that affect immunity.