Tetanus
Christian Ellenburg
How do you get it?
Tetanus is most commonly known for being in the soil and thats the biggest way people get it is through soil.
Would it be considered a prokaryote, eukaryote, or neither?
It would be considered a prokaryote
What are the symptoms and treatments associated with your disease?
There are muscle spasms and muscular rigidity (muscles become stiff). Stiffness usually starts with the chewing muscles, hence the name lockjaw. Muscle spasms then spread to the neck and throat, causing dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). Patients usually go on to have spasms in their facial muscles.
Antibiotics: Penicillin G, Metronidazole by injection
Other treatments: Midazolam by injection, Diazepam by injection
Also common
Procedures: Mechanical ventilation, Tracheotomy, Removal of unhealthy tissue
How deadly is the disease? What is the survival rate?
Tetanus isn't that deadly because it only has a 20% death rate and an 80% survival rate
Is this disease currently a problem across the world? If so where is it most prevalent?
Sub-Saharan Africa, it remains a critical issue in society: most maternal and neonatal deaths from this disease currently take place in this region
Fun Facts
-Associated with puncture wounds
-Called Lockjaw because the first symptom is stiffness of the jaw.
-kills over half a million infants
-the bacteria cannot survive with oxygen
-lives best in deep wounds where air can't get to it