12 Questions
What is the incubation period for tetanus?
6-14 days
What is the characteristic onset of tetanus?
Persistent tonic muscular spasms at the site of penetration of the causative agent
What muscles are affected by the tonic spasms in tetanus?
Jaw muscles (trismus), face muscles (risus sardonicus), and extremities
What position does the patient assume in tetanus?
The patient lies in bed, resting on his head and hips with body bent forward like an arch (opistotonus)
What is the death rate for tetanus?
35-70%
What are the common sources of tetanus infection?
Healthy people and animals discharging the organism in their faeces into the soil
What are the two exotoxins produced by C. tetani when they multiply in a wound?
Tetanospasmin, Tetanolysin
What is the function of Tetanospasmin?
Functional blockator, neurotoxin
Why is Tetanospasmin not dangerous if given orally?
It can't be absorbed by the gastrointestinal mucous membrane
How does Tetanospasmin reach the motor centres of the spinal cord?
Via the peripheral nerves (it moves along the axial nerve cylinders)
What specifically and avidly fixes the tetanus toxin in the nervous tissue?
Gangliosides of the grey matter
What does the abolition of spinal inhibition by the tetanus toxin cause?
Uncontrolled spread of impulses initiated anywhere in the central nervous system
Test your knowledge about the pathogenesis and pathogenicity of tetanus, including the spread of spores, conditions for germination and multiplication, and toxin production. Explore the key factors contributing to the development of tetanus infection.
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