Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Inducing Post-Traumatic Epilepsy in a Mouse Model of Repetitive Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury
07:07

Inducing Post-Traumatic Epilepsy in a Mouse Model of Repetitive Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury

Published on: February 10, 2020

Recurrent generalized tetanus: a case report

M A Alhaji1, M G Mustapha, G M Ashir

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. m_alhaji@hotmail.com

Tropical Doctor
|March 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Recurrent tetanus occurred in an unimmunized child with recurrent ear infections. This case highlights the critical need for timely childhood immunizations and boosters to prevent tetanus, as natural immunity is not lifelong.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Tetanus is a serious bacterial infection preventable by vaccination.
  • Recurrent tetanus cases are rare, making them significant for understanding immunity gaps.

Observation:

  • A four-year-old boy experienced recurrent generalized tetanus over an 11-month period.
  • The child had a history of recurrent suppurative otitis media (SOM) and was unimmunized.

Findings:

  • The case underscores that tetanus infection does not confer lifelong immunity.
  • Incomplete or missed immunizations create vulnerability to tetanus, even after initial infection.

Implications:

  • Emphasizes the critical importance of adhering to primary childhood immunization schedules.
  • Highlights the need for active immunization strategies, including boosters, before hospital discharge.
  • Stresses the importance of addressing missed immunization opportunities to prevent tetanus recurrence.

Related Concept Videos

Tetanus01:29

Tetanus

Tetanus is a life-threatening neurological disorder characterized by persistent muscle contractions and spastic paralysis. It is caused by Clostridium tetani, a motile, Gram-positive, rod-shaped, obligate anaerobe. These bacteria produce terminal endospores, giving them a distinctive “lollipop” or “tennis-racket” appearance. They thrive in anaerobic environments, such as those found in deep puncture wounds.Once introduced into the body, the spores germinate into vegetative cells. These cells...
Diphtheria01:28

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...
Botulism01:22

Botulism

Botulism is a life-threatening neuroparalytic condition caused by botulinum neurotoxin, which is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, a Gram-positive, spore-forming, obligate anaerobe.In adults, the toxin enters the body in different ways: in foodborne botulism, the preformed toxin is absorbed in the intestine. In wound botulism, spores grow in injured tissue and release the toxin into the blood. Infant botulism differs mechanistically from adult forms. In infants, botulism commonly...
Muscle Stimulation Frequency01:22

Muscle Stimulation Frequency

The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin01:26

Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin

Directly acting muscle relaxants like dantrolene and botulinum toxin (BoNT) have distinct mechanisms and applications. Dantrolene, a hydantoin derivative, acts on the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) in skeletal muscle cells. RYR1 are calcium channels present at the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In response to excitation, they release calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. Calcium promotes actin-myosin-mediated contraction of muscles.
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...