Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, disease caused by an exotoxin and highly potent neurotoxin, tetanospasmin, which is produced during the growth of the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani. Tetanus can be prevented by vaccination with tetanus toxoid (TT). A thorough knowledge of the tetanus immunisation in wounds is necessary to prevent the occurrence of wound related tetanus. Knowledge regarding TT vaccination as per the NIS among all levels of health care personnel is important not only for the prevention of neonatal tetanus but also tetanus in the children and adults
The present cross-sectional study was conducted among final year medical students of Katuri Medical College and Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh during June -August 2010. A pre-tested, pre-designed questionnaire was adapted.
68.97% students were not aware of the number of doses of tetanus vaccine recommended for children under the age of 16 years and 62.07% students were not aware of the number of doses of tetanus vaccine recommended for adults over the age of 16 years. More than half of the study population (51.15%) considered every cut injury to be tetanus prone. The majority of the students (79.31% and 77.01%) considered burn injury and animal bite wounds to be tetanus prone. More than 70% of the students were aware that age of the wound, type of wound and previous immunization status of patients as important considerations before immunizing a patient against tetanus
Better awareness and knowledge regarding tetanus vaccine is needed in medical students which are future health care providers.
Tetanus, Medical Students, Immunization, Wound
