Tetanus is a serious disease that occurs when tetanus bacteria enter the body through a wound. Tetanus can only be prevented with injections (vaccinations). Since 1957, children are offered multiple vaccinations against tetanus through the National Immunisation Programme. As a result, tetanus is very rare in the Netherlands.
What are the symptoms of tetanus?
Tetanus bacteria produce toxins that can cause various symptoms:
- stiffness around the wound where the bacteria entered the body
- painful muscle cramps
- problems swallowing and breathing
- severe spasms that cause the body to arch backwards
These symptoms could lead to broken bones or heart problems. Without effective treatment, you could die from tetanus.
How does tetanus spread?
You could get tetanus if you have a wound that gets dirt in it. Examples include:
- An open wound contaminated with dirt, soil, manure or rust. Dirt could also enter the body through tiny puncture wounds, for example while gardening;
- An animal bite;
- A deep burn wound.
The bacteria can penetrate into the body through the wound. This can make you ill. The time between exposure and illness (the incubation period) is usually 3 to 21 days, but could sometimes be as long as a few months.
How can I prevent tetanus?
You can only protect yourself against tetanus by getting vaccinated. A person who has had tetanus before and survived the infection is not protected against a new tetanus infection. Since 1957, the National Immunisation Programme has been inviting all children in the Netherlands to be vaccinated against tetanus. Protection against tetanus can wane over time. For that reason, a doctor may decide that a person needs another vaccination – for example if they have a wound, or if they are going to travel to a remote location.
Is there any treatment for tetanus?
Tetanus can be treated in hospital. A person who has tetanus is treated with medicine to counteract the toxins. Without treatment, tetanus is fatal.
How common is tetanus in the Netherlands?
Tetanus occurs between 0 and 5 times a year, usually among older people who were born before the National Immunisation Programme existed. In the years right before tetanus was added to the National Immunisation Programme, between 20 and 30 people in the Netherlands died of tetanus every year. After that, deaths from tetanus decreased significantly (Figure 2). Between 2000 and 2023, there were a total of five reported deaths from tetanus in the Netherlands.