[Tetanus Observation Over a 12-Month Period in Conakry, Guinea]

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Tetanus, a preventable bacterial infection, continues to pose a public health challenge globally.
• High mortality rates associated with tetanus underscore the need for effective prevention and management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for tetanus in Guinea.
• To analyze epidemiological, clinical, and outcome data to understand tetanus lethality.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection over 12 months, including epidemiological and clinical information.
• Analysis of 32 hospitalized tetanus cases to determine factors linked to death.
• Utilized the Dakar prognostic score for risk assessment.

Main Results:

• Respiratory complications were the most frequent (28%), and the average hospital stay was 23 days.
• Factors associated with death included a Dakar prognostic score ≥3, presence of complications, and short hospital stays (≤7 days).
• Tetanus accounted for 5% of hospitalizations, with an average age of 36 years.

Conclusions:

• Tetanus remains prevalent in Guinea, characterized by a high fatality rate.
• Interventions focused on improving tetanus immunization coverage are essential to reduce disease incidence and mortality.
• Prognostic scores and complication monitoring are vital for managing severe tetanus cases.