The purpose of this technical note is to provide health professionals in United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations, donor gencies and local authorities working with populations affected by emergencies with up-to-date technical guidance on the clinical management of tetanus in emergency-affected populations, particularly following natural disasters.
Open injuries have a potential for serious bacterial wound infections, including gas gangrene and tetanus, and these in turn may lead to long term disabilities, chronic wound or bone infection, and death. Wound infection is particularly of concern when injured patients present late for definitive care, or in disasters where large numbers of injured survivors exceed available trauma care capacit…