Tetanus is the infection caused by clostridium tetani bacilli, the bacteria enters the body through wounds, often trivial, such as those caused by a splinter, a nail in the boot or a garden fork or a septic infection such as a dirty abrasion or a whitlow. The symptoms of tetanus appear two days to several weeks after injury.
Tetanus Vaccine Reaction
Prophylactic active immunization is therefore very important as mortality rate is high if a person suffers from tetanus.
Although tetanus vaccine is well tolerated, there are some side effects associated with the vaccine.
Anti Tetanus Injection Side Effects
- Let us start with minor side effects such as pain and redness at the site of injection. It may remain for a day or two.
- Swelling at the site is another side effect of tetanus vaccine.
- Injection abscess can occur at the site of tetanus vaccine.
- Headache, diarrhea are other minor side effects, which gradually get well, in a day or two if a person is hypersensitive to tetanus vaccine.
- Skin rash, hives can occur in patients hypersensitive to tetanus vaccine. It may be immediate or delayed reaction.
Tetanus Vaccine Side Effects
- Giddiness and vomiting after tetanus vaccine is observed in few patients, and can be considered as one of its side effects.
- Swelling of armpit glands.
- Angioneurotic edema, where there is swelling of face, eye lids and lips may be present in some hypersensitive individuals.
- The most grave and serious side effect of tetanus vaccine is anaphylactic shock. Here the person has difficulty in breathing, there may be spasms and seizures, damage to brain and coma and it can turn to be a fatal event. But the ratio of this side effect is least.