Clinical profile of tetanus patients attended at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundTetanus is an acute, often fatal, disease caused by an exotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. It is characterized by generalized rigidity and convulsive spasms of skeletal muscles. Tetanus remains a major public health problem in Ethiopia like other developed nations. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical profile and outcome of tetanus patients in a referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.MethodsThis is a retrospective cross sectional study in which we collected, compiled and analyzed medical records of patients aged greater than 15 years who were admitted at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital from Sep 2012 to Sep 2015. Tetanus was diagnosed using clinical observations. Data were entered, cleared, and analyzed using SPSS statistical software package.ResultsAmong 110 tetanus cases 84 (76.4 %) were males. Trauma was the most common antecedent cause. Most of the patients had no history of tetanus toxoid immunization. Aspiration pneumonia at 34.5 % and dysautonomia at 11.8 % were found to be the most frequently observed complications. About 36 (32.7 %) patients were died due to tetanus and the most common immediate cause of death was respiratory failure at (83.3 %). Patients’ area of residence (p = 0.004), type of complications (p = 0.00) and severity of tetanus (p = 0.00) were found statistically associated with the type of treatment outcomes.ConclusionsIn the study, the case-fatality rate was found to be very high. Therefore, there is a need to universal tetanus immunization and health information dissemination.

A Meningeal Syndrome Revealing A Tetanus in A Togolese: Case Report and Review of the Literature

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Generalized tetanus in adults without antitetanus booster vaccination in southern Mauritania

“…The duration of hospitalization was, on the average, 20 days, which is comparable to most of the published series . The case fatality rate of tetanus is generally high in Africa . This may be due to several factors, including the absence of antitetanus booster program, ignorance and neglect of basic wound care, delay in medical consultation, and the absence of an intensive care unit in infectious disease services .…”

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“…До груп ризику належать сіль-ські мешканці, особи похилого віку, а також споживачі ін'єкційних наркотичних речовин [9,10]. Так, у США у 1995-1998 роках зі всіх випадків правця 11 % припа-дало на споживачів ін'єкційних наркотиків [11]. За да-ними Українського центру з контролю та моніторингу захворювань МОЗ України, захворюваність на правець у нашій країні становить 0,02-0,04 на 100 тис.…”

“…Високий відсоток летальності навіть при своєчас-ному та адекватному лікуванні правця [11], низька за-хворюваність вказують на доцільність розгляду даного клінічного випадку.…”