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- title = Tetanus
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- Tetanus, often referred to as "lock jaw", is caused by toxins
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- released from Clostridium Tetani which lives in soil. It is
- a bacterial disease, and can enter the human body through
- any wound but usually does so through foot wounds. Tetanus
- interferes with the transmission of nerve impulses, creating
- prolonged muscle spasms which may cause the jaw to "lock"
- closed or paralyze the muscles needed to breathe. Tetanus is
- more dangerous in tropical areas, especially areas with poor
- sanitation.
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- The incubation period of tetanus ranges from two to sixty
- days. The longer the incubation period, the greater the
- chance that the infected person will recover. The early
- symptoms of the disease are headaches, toothaches, profuse
- sweating, restlessness, irritability, stiff neck, difficulty
- swallowing, sore muscles and over-anxiousness. Soon after the
- early symptoms, the person infected with tetanus will
- experience spasms, inflexibility of the neck and back muscles
- and a painful, persistent grimace of facial muscles; which
- gives the impression of a sardonic grin. There are different
- levels of spasms experienced by those infected with tetanus.
- The mild cases of spasms are limited to only the neck and
- head. this condition is know as lock jaw. Severe cases
- include spasms in the back, extremities, diaphram, and
- respiratory muscles. In addition, many complications
- accompany the disease. Some of these include intestinal
- ulcers, blood clot formation, and respiratory disorders;
- which is the most common cause of death in people infected
- with tetanus.
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