Introduction
genus clostridium
Anaerobic, gram-positive,
spore forming, motile rods. Their natural habitat is the soil or the intestinal
tract of animals and humans. It includes several significant human pathogens,
including the causative agents of botulism and tetanus.tetanus is often thought
of as occurring only because of stepping on a rusty nail or being bitten by a
dog, but accually tetanus bacteria can infect the body through any open wound,
especially deep, penetrating ones.
Medically Important Species
Tetani,
Botulinum, Perfringens, and Difficile.
1. Clostridium Tetani:
C. tetani
causes tetanus (lockjaw), Found in soil, especially heavily-manured soils, and
in the intestinal tracts and feces of various animals. Tetanus is a highly fatal disease of humans
with mortality rates varying from 40% to 78% produces the exotoxin
tetanospasmin, which blocks transmission of inhibitory CNS impulses to motor
neurons. Clostridium tetani is a common soil bacterium. It is rod shaped,
gram-positive bacterium. It is motile by way of various flagella that surround
its body. C. tetani cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. It grows best at
temperatures ranging from 33 to 37c. The primary virulence factor of
clostridium tetani is tetanospasmin. A neurotoxin that interferes with the
release of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. This leads to
muscle rigidity and spasms. Clostridium tetani is generally susceptible to penicillin
and other beta-lactam antibiotics. However, resistance to these drugs can occur
through the production of beta-lactamases. The immune response to tetanus
infection is primarily mediated by the production of antibodies against
tetanospasmin.
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is a
serious bacterial infection caused by clostridium tetani. This is a anaerobic
gram positive bacillus that produces a neurotoxin called tetanospasmin. It is
commensal in the gut of humans and domestic animals that is found in the soil.
Spores of tetanus are present in the soil worldwide and animal faces. The
bacteria produce a toxin that affects the nervous system, leading to muscle
stiffness and spasms, commonly referred to as lockjaw. Symptoms: muscle
stiffness, particularly in the jaw and neck, difficulty swallowing, painful
muscle spasms, fever, sweating, and rapid heart rate. The primary prevention
methods are: vaccination: the DTAP vaccine (for children) and TDAP booster (for
adults) protect against tetanus. Wound care: proper cleaning and disinfecting of
cuts and wounds. Tetanus is a very serious, sometimes fatal disease.
Mode of transmission
- Acquired by wound contamination with tetanus spores
- No man to man transmission occur
- Soil as reservoir and source of infection
- No period of communicability
Complications
- Laryngospasm
- Broken bones
- Hospital acquired infections
- Pulmonary embolism
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Difficult in breathing
Haw to
diagnosis C. tetani
Mainly based on clinical picture & history of injury,
culture: requires anaerobic conditions and production of toxin & neutralization
by specific antitoxin. . Gram stain: gram-positive rods, often with an
endospore at one end, giving them the appearance of a drumstick.
Haw to treatment for tetanus
Treatment
for tetanus may include: thoroughly cleaning the wound, medicines to control
spasms, antitoxin injections, use of a ventilator if you have trouble breathing
on your own, antibiotics: to kill the tetanus bacteria, muscle relaxants: to
control spasms, tetanus immune globulin: to neutralize the toxin. and other medicines to control pain. The
results of treatment of tetanus are not satisfactory.
Prevention of tetanus
Prevention
of tetanus depends upon active immunization with toxoids, proper care of wounds
contaminated with soil, prophylactic use of antitoxin, and administration of
penicillin. Good wound care: immediate cleaning of wounds and frequent washing
hands with soup and water. Vaccination for injured person.
Conclusion
Clostridium
tetani is an
obligate anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium responsible for tetanus, a
dangerous and often fatal disease. Its pathogenicity is mainly due to the
neurotoxin tetanospasmin, which interferes with inhibitory neurotransmitters
and causes muscle rigidity, spasms, and lockjaw.
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