The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster
Introduction: Tetanus is a now rare disease due to the widespread administration of scheduled and prophylactic vaccines, making it exceptionally uncommon to appear in many emergency departments. Clinical suspicion alone is used to make the diagnosis as there are currently no immediately available di...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6jp2b015 |
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| author | Erica Westlake Katherine Billings Ann McMoran Katherine Selman Sarab Sodhi |
| author_facet | Erica Westlake Katherine Billings Ann McMoran Katherine Selman Sarab Sodhi |
| author_sort | Erica Westlake |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Tetanus is a now rare disease due to the widespread administration of scheduled and prophylactic vaccines, making it exceptionally uncommon to appear in many emergency departments. Clinical suspicion alone is used to make the diagnosis as there are currently no immediately available diagnostic tests available to the clinician. If left unrecognized and untreated, however, tetanus can lead to airway compromise and death. Case Report: We report a case of a young male who presented to the emergency department with intermittent full body spasms and stiffness of the masseter muscles in the setting of recent assaults and lacerations weeks prior who had not received tetanus since 2008. Immediate calls were placed to infectious disease consultants and the patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, tetanus immunization, metronidazole, and ceftriaxone. Further work up revealed rhabdomyolysis, elevated lactate, and unremarkable imaging. Conclusion: Following treatment, the patient’s symptoms improved to resolution with completion of therapy, effectively confirming the diagnosis of tetanus. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ad4aad7834fc4162933d3963aeefbaf2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2474-252X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-ad4aad7834fc4162933d3963aeefbaf22025-08-20T01:53:36ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaClinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine2474-252X2025-02-019215415610.5811/cpcem.33516cpcem-9-154The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus BoosterErica Westlake0Katherine Billings1Ann McMoran2Katherine Selman3Sarab Sodhi4Cooper University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Camden, New JerseyInova Fairfax Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Falls Church, VirginaCooper University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Camden, New JerseyCooper University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Camden, New JerseyCooper University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Camden, New JerseyIntroduction: Tetanus is a now rare disease due to the widespread administration of scheduled and prophylactic vaccines, making it exceptionally uncommon to appear in many emergency departments. Clinical suspicion alone is used to make the diagnosis as there are currently no immediately available diagnostic tests available to the clinician. If left unrecognized and untreated, however, tetanus can lead to airway compromise and death. Case Report: We report a case of a young male who presented to the emergency department with intermittent full body spasms and stiffness of the masseter muscles in the setting of recent assaults and lacerations weeks prior who had not received tetanus since 2008. Immediate calls were placed to infectious disease consultants and the patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, tetanus immunization, metronidazole, and ceftriaxone. Further work up revealed rhabdomyolysis, elevated lactate, and unremarkable imaging. Conclusion: Following treatment, the patient’s symptoms improved to resolution with completion of therapy, effectively confirming the diagnosis of tetanus.https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6jp2b015 |
| spellingShingle | Erica Westlake Katherine Billings Ann McMoran Katherine Selman Sarab Sodhi The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| title | The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster |
| title_full | The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster |
| title_fullStr | The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster |
| title_short | The Jaw-Locking Case of a Missed Tetanus Booster |
| title_sort | jaw locking case of a missed tetanus booster |
| url | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6jp2b015 |
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