Patient's question:
Recently, I don't know why I've been having high fever that won't go down. The hospital said it's a viral infection. What kind of infectious disease did I get? Should I get a tetanus shot if I got pricked?Doctor's answer:
Tetanus is generally transmitted through mixed infection. In aerobic environments, tetanus bacteria do not survive easily, while in anaerobic environments, tetanus bacilli are adapted, leading to transmission. Tetanus toxin entering the bloodstream can easily cause neurological dysfunction, resulting in muscle rigidity and interfering with respiratory function, which may be life-threatening. After a nail puncture, it is important to clean and sterilize the wound promptly, take oral antibiotics, and administer tetanus antitoxin via intramuscular injection within 24 hours. This can effectively prevent the transmission of tetanus.