‘Remember to Vaccinate’: Tetanus Shot Reminder After Recent Aussie Death

Tetanus, a serious infection caused by a bacteria often found in soil, has taken the life of an Australian woman, the first in 30 years. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Following three recent tetanus cases including the first death in 30 years of an Australian woman, the government is urging people to be up to date with their tetanus vaccinations and alert them to the severity of the disease.

Director of Communicable Diseases Christine Selvey said that the disease is particularly dangerous for the elderly.

“Tetanus is a rare, but potentially fatal disease,” Selvey said on April 13 in a statement.

“In Australia, the disease mostly occurs in older people, usually women, who are inadequately immunised.”

Tetanus is a serious infection that causes muscle spasms and breathing problems.

It is caused by a potentially lethal bacteria called Clostridium tetani, which can enter wounds and produce a toxin that attacks a person’s nervous system. It does not spread from person to person.

Tetanus is a serious infection caused by a bacteria often found in soil. Arturs Budkevics/Shutterstock

Around one in ten people who get tetanus will die from it, with babies and people over 60 years old at the highest risk of dying from the disease, according to government data.

The Sydney woman in her 80s died from tetanus on April 1, the first death since 1993.

Her death follows two recent cases, one also in her 80s from Sydney and another woman in her 70s from northern New South Wales.

In all three cases, the women acquired tetanus from a minor wound on their legs that was contaminated by garden soil. Two of the women did not have tetanus vaccinations and the third had a vaccine over 30 years ago.

An empty bottle of Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis, (whooping cough) vaccine on Sep. 2011 in Sacramento, California. Rich Pedroncelli/AP photo

“This serves as a reminder for all older Australians to check their tetanus vaccination status. If there is any doubt, speak to your general practitioner about whether you should have a tetanus vaccine,” Selvey said.

Health authorities recommend adolescents and adults who have never had a tetanus-containing shot get three doses of tetanus vaccines, with a booster dose ten years later and another one twenty years after the primary course.

New Research Identifies Potential Treatment

Recently, the Australian National University’s researchers observed that an anti-toxin could potentially counteract the bacteria which causes tetanus.

Lead researcher Prof. Si Ming Man and his team focused on the family of Clostridium bacteria that causes gas gangrene, sepsis and tetanus, all incredibly dangerous symptoms of an infection.

By experimenting with mice models and human immune cells, the team found that a pre-existing protein in the body called MCC950 molecule could reduce further inflammation and damage across the body.

They also found that anti-toxins could halt the propagation of the inflammatory response by blocking the Clostridium toxin, reducing its interaction with the immune system.

“Our research shows there might be new therapies we could develop, such as using certain drugs to neutralise the toxin [released by the bacteria],” Prof. Man said.

“There are drugs in the clinical trial stage right now that could block a key immune receptor that recognises the toxin, blocking our own immune system from responding to this toxin too violently.”

“Together, this could be a life-saving therapy.”