Tetanus: Pathophysiology, Treatment, and the Possibility of Using Botulinum
Tetanus: Pathophysiology, Treatment, and the Possibility of Using Botulinu Pic: (Top) Tetanus Following Gunshot Wounds, 1809. By Sir Charles Bell, surgeon and artist; depicting a solider in the throes of tetanus. (Bottom) A young unvaccinated child suffering from tetanus complications. Tetani resides in the soil and leaves. It is omnipresent. But as long as it remains on the other side of our skins, we are safe. When our defenses are breached either by the scratch of a sharp rose thorn or a blister on the foot, tetanus gains access to the body. Tetanus infuses our bodies with tetanospasm toxin, which acts on the central nervous system and works by irreversibly blocking the release of neurotransmitters that work on the muscles, thus interfering with the natural rhythm of nerve firing. As a result of this blockage, the nerves fire continuously, leading to persistent spasming of the muscles. The stronger muscles of the body have a greater effect and dominate, forming an agoni...