Tetanus and diptheria a problem for over 50s
Recent research has shown that a high proportion of Australians aged over 50 are vulnerable to catching tetanus and diphtheria.
Tetanus is caused by the toxin from a bacterial infection usually in a soil-contaminated skin wound. It is a terrible and often fatal disease starting with muscle spasms in the jaw and face, called lockjaw, then spreading.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection of the nose and throat and sometimes the skin. In the throat a membrane can grow obstructing breathing and the diphtheria toxin can poison the heart, kidneys and brain. About 10% of sufferers die.
The Australian study found that 40% of the people tested over the age of 50 were susceptible to diphtheria. The figure for tetanus was 25% although in women over 70, 60% were vulnerable.
These figures supported the recommendation that everyone over 50 should receive a booster dose of tetanus and diphtheria immunisation unless they’ve been vaccinated in the past five years. For people who have never been immunised, they will need to have a course of immunisation from scratch.
