CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI INFECTION

Course overview

CLOSTRIDIA ARE VARIABLE GENERA OF ANAEROBIC ORGANISMS MADE UP OF AT LEAST 209 SPECIES AND FIVE SUBSPECIES. CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI IS ONE OF THE FOUR MOST WELL-KNOWN EXOTOXIN-PRODUCING PATHOGENS WITHIN THIS CATEGORY AND THE SOLE CAUSATIVE ORGANISM FOR THE DISEASE KNOWN AS TETANUS. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD VACCINATION EFFORTS HAVE REDUCED THE PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT, TETANUS IS A POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION. THUS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE TYPICAL CLINICAL PRESENTATION, IMMEDIATE MANAGEMENT, AND TREATMENT OF CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI INFECTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.