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Friday, October 28, 2005At least 22 victims of the monster earthquake in Pakistan have died of tetanus, the World Health Organization said Thursday, as U.N. officials warned that more quake survivors could perish unless they get food and shelter before the winter sets in. Sacha Bootsma, WHO communications officer, said there had been 111 tetanus cases since the temblor struck on Oct. 8, but just seven reported in the past two days, indicating the situation had stabilized. Tetanus, better known as "lockjaw," is caused by a bacteria that is ubiquitous in nature. It enters the body through cuts and wounds. Before we had widespread immunization against it, people would die from something as simple as a cut while shaving. The disease still occurs - usually among the unvaccinated. The childhood vaccination DTaP protects against tetanus, but once the childhood series is complete, a booster shot is needed every ten years. It's a good idea to keep the boosters up to date and not wait until you cut yourself to get one. By then, it may be too late. posted by Sydney on 10/28/2005 05:39:00 PM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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