The tetanus boost
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From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ron DePas with HHS HealthBeat.
When did you have your last tetanus booster? If you're an adult and can't remember, it's understandable, because adults who had their full tetanus series as youngsters only need a booster every 10 years.
A person could get a tetanus germ through a break in the skin, such as a puncture wound. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tejpratap Tiwari:
``That person should receive a booster dose of the vaccine, and not only if they have a puncture wound but in fact if they have any wound.'' (7 seconds)
Or you can check your medical records with your health care provider.
Tetanus infections are rare. But the germs create a poison that makes nerves force muscle spasms, and the spasms can be powerful enough to break bones.
An article on tetanus is in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report.
Learn more at hhs.gov.