Tetanus

This disease results from infection with Clostridium tetani, which exists as a commensal in the gut of man and domestic animals and is found in cultivated soils. Infection enters the body through wounds, often trivial, such as those caused by a splinter, a nail in the boot or a garden fork or following septic infection such as a dirty abrasion or a whitlow. The disease is thus most commonly found in agricultural workers and gardeners. If childbirth takes place in an unhygienic environmenttetanus neonatorum may result from infection of the umbilical stump or the mother may develop the disease.