'Pinoy MD:' Tetanus found in soil?
Last month, Jhea Parcon and her husband became wary when they noticed that their five-year-old son Jhedy showed tetanus symptoms.
According to the parents, they have two possible causes that led to Jhedy's infection: Using a broom fiber to remove the food stuck between his teeth or through his exposed wounds.
Jhea explained, “'Di po namin alam kung malinis po ba 'yung ginamit n'ya sa ngipin n'ya kasi di po namin napansin na gumamit siya noon.
“Tapos, may sugat siya sa paa na dahilan ng pagkadapa n'ya na hindi niya napapansin na hindi namin alam na may pumasok na dumi na galit sa sahig.”
According to Dr. Geminn Louis Apostol, a public health doctor, tetanus (often called lockjaw) is a serious bacterial infection that affects the nervous system and causes the body's muscles to tighten.
He said, “Yung spore ng Clostridium Tetani (tetanus bacteria) ay maaring pumunta sa inyong dugo.
“'Pag nakarating na siya sa buong nervous system, doon siya pwedeng mag-germinate in its bacterial form at doon niya nilalabas 'yung toxin na tetanus.
“The bacteria kasi can be found anywhere, pwede sa buhangin, sa lupa, at maari siyang makuha sa kagat ng hayop. Basically anywhere within nature.”
That said, Dr. Apostol also made a hunch that Jhedy may have contracted the virus because he may have lacked the protection he needed.
He said, “Ang mga malalang uri ng tetano ay maaring maranasan ng mga pasyenteng hindi kumpleto ang bakuna o hindi updated ang kanilang bakuna laban sa tetano.
“Sa mga bansa kung saan maraming bata o maraming nabubuntis, e, nababakuhanahan kaagad kaya mababa ang rates ng tetano sa kanila.
“Kaya mahalaga na makumpleto mo talaga o ma-update mo ang mga bakuna laban sa tetanus.”
True enough, Jhedy's tetanus shot wasn't complete.
As revealed by his mother, “Noong bata po siya hindi po nakumpleto 'yung pagpapaturok n'ya. Isa lang po ata yung naturok sa kanya kasi po noong panahon pong iyon nagkaubusan po ng vaccine para sa kanila.”
Since being admitted to the hospital, Jhedy has been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he is being given antibiotics, anti-paralysis medication, and was even intubated to help deliver oxygen to his lungs.
“Okey na po siya at yung mga gamot na binibigay sa kanya ng doktor ay binabawasan na. Tinanggalan na rin po siya ng antibiotic at pamparalysa. At ngayon, nagpapraktis na po silang bawasan ang oxygen mula sa apparatus,” Jhea said.
Aside from vaccination, proper treatment and cleaning of wounds can also help prevent the infection from worsening. If you're injured outside and think your injury has made contact with soil, call your healthcare provider and ask about your risk of tetanus.
Watch this episode of Pinoy MD to learn more about this bacterial infection:
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