# When did you get your last Tetanus shot?



## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Just thought I'd throw this thread out there as a reminder for everyone that this is seriously important given what we do for a living. I didn't know until about 5 minutes ago that Tetanus can and often is a fatal infection. My wife sliced her hand open today and realized it'd been 11yrs since her last shot.

She's sitting in emergency now waiting to get one. 

*Tetanus facts*




Tetanus is frequently a fatal infectious disease.
Tetanus is caused by a type of bacteria (_Clostridium tetani_).
The tetanus bacteria often enter the body through a puncture wound, which can be caused by nails, splinters, insect bites, burns, any skin break, and injection-drug sites.
_All_ children and adults should be immunized against tetanus by receiving vaccinations.
A tetanus booster is needed every 10 years after primary immunization or after a puncture or other skin wound that could provide an entry point for the tetanus bacteria to enter the body.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Lock jaw - look THAT up! Truly nasty stuff.

Stepped on and ran a nail clean through the middle of my foot when I was about ten. It was protruding up out of a board and when I lifted up my foot the board came with it. Got a tetanus shot as a result and I reacted so strongly to it that my arm was still in a sling after the foot was almost healed. Think they used to use something from horses(?) to create the serum back then so strong reactions like mine weren't uncommon.

Recommendations for tetanus boosters was every ten years. Think I heard they are now recommending every thirty?


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Hmm, I'm pretty sure they're still recommending 10. Doctor I'm working for told me that today. He's 75, still working and has now been one of the best doctors in town for 50 years as of a month ago! Still runs his arse off all day long. Younger doctors can't keep up with him whatsoever. On top of this, he teaches medicine at a university, works emergency, carries a caseload in the hospital and is the main doctor at the local nursing home. Pretty awesome. Anyhoo...

http://www.medicinenet.com/tetanus/article.htm


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Seems like once a month I'm wondering myself when I went last. I believe 2 years ago, my memory is a bit clogged, I know a few times I was rushed to the hospital (blown out back to the point walking was impossible) the nurses would look and say not time yet.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

cdpainting said:


> Seems like once a month I'm wondering myself when I went last. I believe 2 years ago, my memory is a bit clogged, I know a few times I was rushed to the hospital (blown out back to the point walking was impossible) the nurses would look and say not time yet.


Ya' know, memory and back issues are some of the first warning signs of lock jaw setting in. :whistling2:


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I believe the tet shots are every ten years. 

I can remember back around 1968, when I first heard of The dreaded Lock Jaw. Me, and a friend were playing around in a vacant lot when I stepped on a board with a rusty nail. I was so scared I was going to get Lock Jaw. 

I'm due in a year or two. Thanks for the reminder!


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Wildbill7145 said:


> Just thought I'd throw this thread out there as a reminder for everyone that this is seriously important given what we do for a living. I didn't know until about 5 minutes ago that Tetanus can and often is a fatal infection. My wife sliced her hand open today and realized it'd been 11yrs since her last shot.
> 
> She's sitting in emergency now waiting to get one.
> 
> ...


Not to downplay the importance of this, but 14% may or may not fit the definition of "frequently". Obviously, 1 in 7 mortality is still substantial.

In the US at least, the biggest single risk from tetanus appears to be from getting old. Being over 65 was a higher risk factor than being un-immunized....

In the US, from 2000-2008, 25% of the patients who developed tetanus had the initial three-shot series and a booster within 10 years.


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## tigerwashnola (Jul 27, 2016)

every 10 yrs


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