Tetanus Prevention

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributor, Deanna Altomara

Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on November 07, 2024

7 min read

How Can I Prevent Tetanus?

When you hear “tetanus,” you might relate it to stepping on a rusty nail; however, many injuries can lead to tetanus, and rust doesn’t need to be involved.

Tetanus is a serious infection and can be deadly. It's caused by tiny bacteria that live in soil, dust, and poop. They can enter your body through broken skin, even injuries as minor as a scrape. Some insect and animal bites also can have this bacteria. Once in your blood, the bacteria attack your brain and spinal cord, paralyzing your jaw and causing painful spasms.

The two major ways to prevent tetanus are immunization and wound care.

Types of Immunization

There are two types of immunization: active and passive. Active immunization is when your body learns how to fight a germ by itself. For example, when you get a vaccine, it shows your immune system how to make antibodies. Antibodies help the immune system recognize and kill the infecting germ. It takes your body some time to learn how to make antibodies. But once it does, the body can keep making more over many years. This means that you’ll be protected for a long time.

Passive immunization is when your body is protected by someone else’s immune system. For example, a pregnant person shares their antibodies with their baby. Even though the baby is not making the antibodies themselves, they’re still protected against certain diseases. Passive immunity also happens when you get an infusion of someone else’s antibodies. This might take place when you need emergency protection against a specific disease. It works fast, but the protection only lasts a short time.

Active immunization

In the U.S., there are currently three vaccines that prevent tetanus:

DTaP (five-dose series for young children)
Tdap (single dose for adolescents or adults)
Td or Tdap (booster every 10 years)

There was also a DT vaccine, but it's no longer available in the U.S.

Health officials recommend that infants and children get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (whooping cough). This is done with the DTaP vaccine.

You need to get the DTaP vaccine a few times for it to work properly. You get it when you’re 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months old, with a booster dose between the ages of 4 and 6 years. Then, you get a Tdap vaccine at 11-12 years of age. If you’re an adult and didn't receive the first few tetanus shots as a child, you’ll need an initial dose of Tdap, a second dose of Tdap or Td four weeks later, and a third dose of Tdap or Td 6-12 months later.

Vaccine protection against tetanus lasts a long time, but it doesn’t last forever. That’s why you still need to get a booster shot every 10 years (either the Tdap or Td vaccine).

Passive immunization

If you’ve never had a tetanus shot and you get hurt, you might be given a form of passive immunization called tetanus immune globulin. This is a shot that goes into your muscle. The shot delivers fully-formed antibodies that already know how to identify and fight tetanus toxins. So, these antibodies can give you immediate protection against tetanus.

Tetanus immune globulin is for people who have major or dirty wounds and:

Have never been vaccinated
Didn’t complete their first series of TDaP vaccinations
Don’t remember if they’ve been vaccinated
Have HIV
Have a severe immunodeficiency

Any one of these things could qualify you for tetanus immune globulin.

You’ll probably get a regular tetanus vaccine at the same time. This strategy is a combination of active and passive immunization. The antibodies in the tetanus immune globulin shot protect you, while the vaccine teaches your body how to make its own antibodies.

Tetanus Wound

Any wound that breaks the skin could develop tetanus. But some wounds are more likely to cause tetanus than others.

Tetanus-prone wounds:

Are deep (like a puncture wound)
Are contaminated with dirt, soil, poop, or saliva
Have dead tissue (such as in burns, compound fractures, frostbite, crush injuries, and necrotic or gangrenous wounds)

Any one of these things can increase your risk for tetanus.

If the wound is dirty or tetanus-prone and you haven’t had a tetanus booster shot within the last five years, you should get a booster right away. You should also get one if the wound is clean, but you haven’t had a booster in the last 10 years.

If you're unsure about when you received your last tetanus shot, it's better to be safe and receive another booster than sorry. If it hasn't been long since your last dose, you may notice increased redness and soreness where the shot went in.

How to Prevent Tetanus After Cuts

If you get a cut or other open wound, there are two major ways to protect yourself against tetanus: cleaning the wound and getting vaccinated.

First, clean the wound. The bacteria that cause tetanus can get into even tiny breaks in the skin, so it’s important to clean even small wounds, such as cuts and scrapes. Wash your hands with soap and water. Then, rinse the wound with warm water. You can use soap on the area around it, but try not to get any in the wound itself. Do your best to get rid of any dirt or other contamination because these tiny specks can contain the germs that cause tetanus and other diseases.

If the wound is bleeding, put gentle pressure on it by wrapping it with a clean bandage, and if possible, hold it above the level of your heart for up to 30 minutes.

Get medical help if:

The wound is deep.
It has jagged edges.
The edges won’t stay together.
You notice warmth, swelling, worsening pain, or other signs of infection.

Second, call your doctor to see if you need an emergency tetanus shot. If you are up-to-date with your tetanus shots, you might just need to keep the wound clean. But if it has been more than 10 years since you got your last tetanus shot (or five, if the wound is dirty), then you should get a booster within 48 hours (two days).

If you have never been vaccinated for tetanus before and you get hurt, you’ll need a three-dose “catch-up” vaccination. The doctor will likely give you the first vaccine dose at the time of your wound care. They will also give you a single dose of a special immunoglobulin that offers short-term protection against tetanus. You must see a doctor in four weeks and again in six months to complete the vaccination series. This is important for long-term protection because the second and third vaccines help your body learn how to fight tetanus by itself.

If you’re not sure if you’ve had a tetanus vaccine, or you don’t remember when your last one was, it’s better to be safe than sorry. When in doubt, your doctor will probably give you a shot. You might get a regular TDaP vaccine (if you’ve never gotten your first three tetanus shots) or a Td booster (if you’ve been vaccinated before but can’t remember when your last booster was).

How to Prevent Tetanus Naturally

You can take a few simple steps to avoid injuries that could lead to tetanus.

Wear gloves while gardening. The bacteria that can cause tetanus live in the soil. Wearing gardening gloves can prevent small cuts and keep bacteria from entering any cuts you already have.
Use protective gear. When you’re using machinery, make sure to wear goggles, gloves, and other proper protective equipment.
Make sure knives are sharpened. Pushing too hard on dull knives can cause the knife to slip.
Keep things organized. Store tools in a safe space, and always put them away when you’re finished. This can help avoid trips and other accidents.

Some people think taking vitamin C could help prevent tetanus. Although it’s true that vitamin C can boost your immune system, scientists have never studied whether it could prevent tetanus in humans.

Takeaways

Tetanus is caused by a bacteria that enters the body through broken skin. There are two main ways to prevent tetanus: getting vaccinated and cleaning the wound. If you get hurt and haven’t had a tetanus vaccine in the last 10years (or five, if the wound is dirty), then call your doctor to get a tetanus shot right away.