I know is it’s a shot for wounds that potentially could have rust or something else that you wouldn’t want in an open wound. But how do they work?
In: Biology
Tetanus is a bacteria that can sometimes live on rusty things. It is very rare but can be potentially deadly. The shot is a vaccine which teaches the immune system how to identify and thus eradicate the bacteria before they become problematic.
It’s a vaccine against Clostridium Tetani that works like most vaccines.
Shot has marker/parts of/ dead version so immune system gets a trial run at recognizing and killing invader pathogen. That way when the live version saunters in via wound/rusty metal etc, the body is ready with a “loaded gun”.
Tentanus is caused by a bacterial infection. The bacteria is found in dirt and dust. Normally the bacteria does not cause any infections as it can not penetrate the skin or infect the lungs or stomach. However if you get a cut and get some dirt in it then it may cause an infection. The regular tentanus shots is a vaccine which cause the body to generate antibodies against the bacteria to help fight off an infection. Even if you are infected the vaccine will help as it cause the immune system to respond faster. But then the vaccine is given together with an antibiotic which is known to work well against the bacteria for further protection.
*Clostridium tetani* is a bacteria that commonly lives in damp soil and on rust. The most common way to get infected with clostridium tetani is from a puncture wound. The infection causes pretty severe muscle spasms. The infection itself is typically called “tetanus”. The “tetanus shot” is just a vaccine against clostridium tetani.
To build on what’s already stated, most people were immunized in the younger years. A booster is recommended every 10 years after that. So if you step on a rusty nail and it’s been over 10 years since your last shot. They typically give you the vaccine.
Getting dirt in a wound is bad, but tetanus results from getting tetanus bacteria in a *deep* wound, like a puncture wound. The bacteria are very common, but they only cause disease if they can grow in an anaerobic (no air) environment. The bacteria produce a toxin, which is what causes the spasms and other neurological problems that we call tetanus.
The typical “tetanus shot” is not a vaccine against the bacterium itself. It’s a *toxoid vaccine* — it works against the toxin that the bacterium produces. It primes your immune system to attack the toxin and clear it from your tissues before it can cause sickness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoid
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus_vaccine
Just to make sure its clear rust has nothing to do with tetanus. It is the fact that something old and rusty has probably been in contact with dirt which is where the bacteria can live. Tetanus can be deadly so it is a precaution to get vaccinated and not possibly die.
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