The Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases is treating nearly 10 patients with tetanus, most of whom have come from very small skin lesions and are subjectively overlooked.
A typical case is Mr. N.V.T (62 years old, Thai Nguyen). About a week before being hospitalized, he fell at a construction site, causing scratches on his ankles and both knees, and minor bleeding. After the accident, he only usedparasitology and ban date at home and did not get a tetanus shot.
Six days later, he began to show symptoms of jaw stiffness and was taken to a lower-level hospital, where the doctor diagnosed him with tetanus. Less than a day later, the disease progressed rapidly with chest tightness, difficulty breathing, forced to have an endotracheal tube, mechanical ventilation, sedation and muscle relaxation drugs. The patient was then urgently transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
According to Dr. Le Son Viet, Emergency Department, when admitted to the hospital, the patient was in a sedated state, on a ventilator, not having any seizures or stiffness all over the body, but had moderate increase in abdominal muscles. The wound on the right ankle is about 1x1cm in size, has a prosthetic, and is surrounded by redness and pain. The patient is currently receiving intensive treatment, the disease is progressing slowly and needs to be closely monitored.
Another case is Mr. D.D.N (40 years old, Hanoi). About three weeks ago, on his way home from work, he stepped on a nail, causing a deep wound on his left foot. He was treated for the wound at the health station, but it is unclear whether he was injected with tetanus anti-current serum.
The day before being hospitalized, he began to show signs of jaw stiffness and difficulty opening his mouth, but subjectively thought it was due to fatigue. By evening, the condition of jaw stiffness increased significantly, accompanied by stiffness, back pain, and stiffness in the limbs, so the family had to take him to the Emergency Department, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
Here, the patient was recorded to have moderate muscle atrophy, with severe pain in the back, jaw stiffness, and a mouth only about 2cm wide, accompanied by respiratory failure. The patient was prescribed an endotracheal tube, ventilator support and monitoring of her condition with a diagnosis of general tetanus.
The third case is Mr. N.T.N (37 years old, Hanoi). Nearly a month ago, while working at the construction site, he hit a cutting machine, causing the nail to peel off on the left toe. After having his nails removed and the wound treated, he thought it was just a minor injury so he did not get a tetanus shot. For about a week now, he has started to have difficulty opening his mouth, difficulty swallowing, and muscle hypertonia. The patient was diagnosed with tetanus at a lower-level hospital and transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
According to Dr. Truong Tu The Bao, Emergency Department, when admitted to the hospital, the patient was only able to open his mouth about 3cm, and had moderate increase in abdominal and back muscle tone, and had not yet experienced chest stiffness. The blood pressure was stable, the patient was supported with oxygen therapy. The wound on the left toe was dry, charred, and there were no signs of inflammation or pus. This is a mild case of tetanus curvature, which is good for treatment but still takes a long time to fully recover.
Doctors said that the bacteria found in the plankton are commonly present in sand, dirt, animal manure, poultry, drainage and on tools that are not thoroughly disinfected. When penetrating through open wounds, even very small, bacteria can grow and secrete toxins that cause muscle stiffness throughout the body, respiratory failure and even death if not treated promptly. Worryingly, many people still mistakenly believe that only large wounds are dangerous.
Experts recommend that in daily life and work, accidents, collisions, and scratches on the skin are inevitable. Therefore, people need to proactively get fully vaccinated against tetanus and get re-sharpened according to schedule, even when they feel healthy. This is the most effective way to create a sustainable immune shield, prevent serious complications and avoid unfortunate situations that can happen from just a small wound.
