• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2013

Tetanus is a specific infectious disease, which is often associated with catastrophic events such as earthquakes, traumas, and war wounds. The obligate anaerobe Clostridium tetani is the pathogen that causes tetanus. Once the infection of tetanus progresses to an advanced stage within the wounds of limbs, the rates of amputation and mortality increase manifold. Therefore, it is necessary to devise a rapid and sensitive point-of-care detection method for C. tetani so as to ensure an early diagnosis and clinical treatment of tetanus. In this study, we developed a detection method for C. tetani using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, wherein the C. tetani tetanus toxin gene was used as the target gene. The method was highly specific and sensitive, with a detection limit of 10 colony forming units (CFU)/ml, and allowed quantitative analysis. While detecting C. tetani in clinical samples, it was found that the LAMP results completely agreed with those of the traditional API 20A anaerobic bacteria identification test. As compared with the traditional API test and PCR assay, LAMP detection of C. tetani is simple and rapid, and the results can be identified through naked-eye observation. Therefore, it is an ideal and rapid point-of-care testing method for tetanus.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.459-463
• /
• 2000

A 3 year-old male American Pit Bull Terrier in Kwang-Ju, Chonnam was admitted to the Teaching Animal Hospital, Chonbuk National University. He showed convulsive spasms of skeletal muscles, raised tail-head, and rigidity of rigidity. Based on these clinical sign\ulcorner tetanus was suspected Hematological test results showed and WBC value (21 ,800/$\mu$l/) with neutrophils (17.877/$\mu$l) and monocytes (1.744/$\mu$l). The blood chemical values ALT (86 IU/L) and AST (119 IU/L) were elevated. Fecal sample from the dog was cultured in anaerobic chamber. A Gram positive, drumstick shaped bacteria was isolated. The bacteria was identified as Clostridium tetani by biological and biochemical tests. The dog was hospitalized in a quiet place where the light was cut off and treated with penicillin G procaine and phenobarbital sodium. The dog made a complete recovery 25 days after treatment. This Is the first report on C. tetani infection of domestic dog in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.91-98
• /
• 2022

Tetanus is a potentially fatal public health illness resulted from the neurotoxins generated by Clostridium tetani. C. tetani is not easily culturable and culturing the relevant bacteria from infected wounds has rarely been useful in diagnosis; PCR-based assays can only be conducted at highly sophisticated laboratories. Therefore, a real-time recombinase polymerase amplification assay (Exo-RPA) was constructed to identify the fragments of the neurotoxin gene of C. tetani. Primers and the exo probe targeting the conserved region were designed, and the resulting amplicons could be detected in less than 20 min, with a detection limit of 20 copies/reaction. The RPA assay displayed good selectivity, and there were no cross-reactions with other infectious bacteria common in penetrating wounds. Tests of target-spiked serum and pus extract revealed that RPA is robust to interfering factors and has great potential for further development for biological sample analysis. This method has been confirmed to be reliable for discriminating between toxic and nontoxic C. tetani strains. The RPA assay dramatically improves the diagnostic efficacy with simplified device architecture and is a promising alternative to real-time PCR for tetanus detection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.401-410
• /
• 2004

Soil samples from five different areas in Korea were collected during 2001/02 and examined for presence of the genus Clostridium. Direct immuno-fluorescent assay (IFA) examination showed that Clostridium septicum, Cl. novyi and Cl. chauvoei were detected in the soil of specific areas in Korea. Sixteen species of Clostridium were isolated and cultivated from the soil samples. Cl. peifringens was detected in all sampling locations, while the other species were not. The in vitro activity of 14 antibiotic agents was determined against 421 clostridia isolated from the soil contaminated with animal feces in Korea. Trovafloxacin was effective against all isolates of the genus Clostridium except one isolate of Cl. subterminale, two of Cl. tetani, and three of Cl novyi with $MIC_{50}$ $8- 16\mu$g $ml^{-1}$. Thirteen species of Clostridium were resistant to vancomycin except for Cl. perfringens, Cl. sporogenes, and Cl. subterminale. Imipenem and trovafloxacin showed high antimicrobial activities (>95%) against all strains in the clostridia investigated. Therefore, antibiotic agents such as imipenem and trovafloxacin are the most suitable agents for polymicrobial infection as broad-spectrum monotherapy.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.117-121
• /
• 2011

Tetanus is fatal neurological disease caused by Clostridium tetani on contaminated wound that is characterised by muscle spasm, muscle pain, and autonomic dysfuction. C. tetani exist on contaminated wound frequently that developed clinical tetanus under low oxygen condition. Tetanus have four symptomatic form: generalized, localized, cephalic, and neonatal. The incubation period is about 7 days and mortality is high. The commonest presenting symptom is trismus and other is stiffness of neck and back(opisthotonos), muscle spasm, dysphagia, facial pain, risus sardonicus. Trismus is primary presenting symptom in 50~75% of the cases and this have high possibility of initial visit to dental office. This case report of a patient who visit in our department with trismus as chief complaint.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.39-42
• /
• 2019

Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, and infectious disease of all species of domestic animals caused by the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani (C. tetani). This disease is usually known to develop after microbial contamination in the deep or penetrating wound sites. In February 2017, a farmer who was raising 76 cows injected foot and mouth disease vaccine to three or more cows with one syringe. Their clinical symptoms were observed 2 to 16 days after the vaccination. The initial symptoms were stiffness, rigidity of the neck and limbs, pricked ears, and prolapse of the third eyelid. Subsequently, there was recumbency with extension of the limbs, convulsions and opistotonus and the affected 20 cows were all died. Two dead cows were submitted to Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency for disease diagnosis. At necropsy, a focal edematous abscess of 15 to 20 cm in diameter was grossly observed in the subcutaneous and intramuscular tissue of scapular region and filled with a large amount of greenish pus. The feed was full in oral cavity and slightly observed in the trachea and lobes of lung. Histopathologically, focal granulomatous nodules with eosinophilic materials in the tissue were observed. In the lung, aspiration pneumonia and gram (+) bacteria were seen. The C. tetani was isolated in samples anaerobically cultured using reinforced clostridial medium and identified by PCR. To our knowledge, no previous outbreak of tetanus in cattle has affected such a high number of animals; neither has it been associated with misuse of the same syringe and needle to administer multiple individuals.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.79-82
• /
• 2020

Tetanus is a fatal disease caused by the infection Clostridium tetani found in animal feces and soil. It is a vaccine-preventable disease and rarely occurs in developed countries. However, approximately 30 cases still occur annually in South Korea. Tetanus, commonly called lockjaw, cause contraction of the masseter muscles in the early stage, resulting in trismus as the first symptom. As it progresses, spasm extends to various muscles in the face, neck, shoulder, and back, leading to distorted facial expression, dysphagia, backward arching of the body, dyspnea, and even death. Early diagnosis of tetanus is critical because it can quickly become fatal if left untreated. We present a case of trismus caused by tetanus and emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of acute trismus.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.117-120
• /
• 2021

Tetanus is an infectious disease of the nervous system caused by Clostridium tetani, and is characterized by tonic muscle contractions, painful spasms, and autonomic dysfunction. Severe autonomic dysfunction associated with tetanus can be life-threatening. We present a 62-year-old female who experienced lockjaw after an ankle fracture. The patient was diagnosed with tetanus and received tetanus immunoglobulin and a vaccination. The patient subsequently experienced labile hypertension. This case highlights the challenge and importance of managing cardiovascular instability.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.235-237
• /
• 2000

It is difficult to find the penetrating foreign bodies in the head and neck area only with history taking and physical examinations. One of the most important things is to detect the precise location of foreign bodies or possibly remained materials. The detection of wooden foreign bodies is important because they can cause phlegmon formation and because wood is often contaminated by Clostridium tetani bacteria. CT has proved to be an expedient method for detecting foreign bodies of various materials in soft tissues, but the wooden foreign body is often misinterpreted as a gas bubble in soft tissue. We have experienced a case of wooden foreign body which has penetrated through nasal dorsum and remained for 4 months. It had been initially misinterpreted as longstanding inflammatory lesion and osteitis of maxilla and nasal bone.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.214-217
• /
• 2013

Tetanus is a neurologic disorder caused by a tetanospasmin released from Clostridium tetani and usually occurs as a result of a dirty open wound or abrasion. Post traumatic tetanus is a life threatening disease and has a mortality rate of 15~39%. Because of a nationwide active immunization program, tetanus is a rare disease in Korea. Thus, many physicians have little experience with its diagnosis and management, and misdiagnosis and therapeutic delay may have catastrophic consequences. We report a case of tetanus that developed in a patient who had been diagnosed with a traumatic rectal rupture.