Clostridium Tetani Growth
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Growth of Clostridium tetani
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Clostridium tetani is an anaerobe so it cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. That is why it is at home in the oxygen-starved environment of the soil and the gastrointestinal tract. During vegetative growth, it is especially sensitive to heat and the presence of oxygen. Once it matures, it develops the hardened spore described above, which is resistant to heat and most antiseptics.
Toxicity, Infection and Treatment
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Clostridium tetani infects a person through a wound on the skin. It then replicates and produces the toxins, tetanolysin and tetanospasmin. Tetanospasmin is a neurotoxin responsible for causing the clinical manifestations of tetanus seen in an infected person. The neurotoxin interferes with the nervous system by blocking the action of neurotransmitters, which causes involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. It also results in such phenomena as lock jaw, rigid smile and a rigid, arched back.
The best cure for tetanus is prevention. This comes in the form of an antitoxin vaccine. It provides immunity to the bacterium if a person is ever infected by preventing the action of the toxin. Also, properly cleaning the wound to prevent infection helps. When a tetanus infection is established, treatment is focused on preventing further toxin production, neutralizing the effect of the toxin and controlling muscle spasms. The treatment is lengthy and arduous because the process of tetanospasmin binding to the nerve endings is irreversible.
Administering tetanus immunoglobin, which produces antitoxins that bind to and remove unbound tetanospasmin, stops further action of the toxin. Large doses of such antibiotics as metronidazole or intramuscular penicillin G can prevent further toxin production. In addition, administering the vaccine to prevent future infections is also necessary. -
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