Tetanus Vaccine Patient Education Handout associated with UMHS Clinical Care Guideline

This information is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a substitute for medical treatment. You should speak to your health-care provider or make an appointment to be seen if you have questions or concerns about this information or your medical condition.

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What is the tetanus vaccine?

The tetanus vaccine is a shot that protects you against the disease tetanus. Tetanus is caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani. These bacteria live all over the outdoor environment, most often in the soil. The bacteria can enter your body through a break in the skin, such as a cut.

Tetanus is often fatal, many times in older adults and young children. Potent poisons made by the bacteria cause the muscles to contract in spasms that cannot be controlled. Tetanus is also called lockjaw because the most common symptom is tightening of the jaw muscles.

Most people receive a shot in childhood that protects them from three diseases. This shot is called the DPT, and protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). After childhood a booster shot for diphtheria and tetanus is needed every 10 years.

If you have a dirty cut, animal bite, or puncture wound, you should check the date of your last booster. You will need to get another tetanus shot if it has been 5 years or you don’t know how long since your last booster and the wound is dirty or was from rusty metal. Try to get the shot the same day you are injured or at least within 48 hours of getting the wound. If you can’t get the shot within 48 hours of the getting the wound, get it as soon as you can. If you are not protected, the bacteria grow quickly when they are trapped under a wound that has healed over.

Why should I be vaccinated against tetanus?

Tetanus is a rare but often fatal disease. There are about 100 cases of tetanus each year in the U.S. Of all people who get tetanus in the U.S., about one in three die.

You can’t always avoid the cuts and wounds that often occur during daily life. The tetanus bacteria can enter the body through these breaks in the skin and cause a very grave infection. For this reason, you need to keep your tetanus shots up to date.

What other things should I know about tetanus shots?

Complete a three-shot series if you were not given the vaccine during childhood. The second shot is given 4 to 8 weeks after the first, and the third shot is given 6 to 12 months after that. You then need a booster shot every 10 years.

You can get a tetanus shot at your doctor's office or at most local health departments.

Side effects from the shot can include soreness and swelling in the arm where you got the shot. Fever is rare.

Do not get the shot if you have a fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher. You can have the shot if you have a mild cold or other minor illness. If you are sick, you might want to discuss your illness with your doctor before getting the shot.

Do not get the shot if have had an allergic reaction to a tetanus shot before.

For more questions on adult immunizations, contact:

National Coalition for Adult Immunization
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 750
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-656-0003

You can also get information from your local health department.

Written by Carolyn Norrgard, RNC, BA, MEd, and Carol Matheis-Kraft, PhD, RNC, for McKesson Health Solutions LLC.