Infant escapes death in rare tetanus case

3:00 pm

A 15-month-old Northland girl has become the first child to contract the deadly tetanus disease in New Zealand for at least 15 years, health officials say.

Northland Health medical officer of health Jonathan Jarman said the girl was rushed to Whangarei Hospital on April 11 with tetanus, or lockjaw as it is also commonly known.

Dr Jarman said the girl became extremely ill and was transferred to Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital.

Tetanus produces one of the most deadly toxins known to humans and is fatal in up to nine out of 10 cases. The girl, who had never been vaccinated, was the first person to catch the disease in Northland for at least 15 years. She was also the first young child to catch the disease in New Zealand for at least the same length of time.

"She is very lucky to be alive. She was very ill with severe muscle spasms and had to be ventilated because of difficulties breathing," Dr Jarman said.

"Tetanus is no joke and the death rate from it is very high."

The girl was today still in Starship hospital, but was expected to recover. Catching tetanus did not give the body immunity from the disease and the girl would still need to be vaccinated, as would her family.

Dr Jarman said the case should serve as a warning tetanus was still a danger, despite there being very few cases of the disease these days.

Tetanus spores are often found in soil, but the injury on the girl's body where she contracted the disease was not immediately obvious.

However, there was a small prickle under one of her toes that could have carried the infection. Tetanus normally got into the body through a graze or cut to the skin.

Dr Jarman said adults who had contracted tetanus have described it as "a visit to hell and back" because of its severe and debilitating symptoms.

He said one of the first main symptoms of tetanus was muscle spasms in the face, which gave it the lockjaw name.

Tetanus vaccinations have been free in New Zealand for about 40 years.

Children receive tetanus vaccinations at six weeks, three months, five months, 15 months and 11 years. For adults the tetanus vaccination is topped up every five years or immediately after a suspect injury.

Dr Jarman said most cases of tetanus in New Zealand involved elderly women who had never been vaccinated against it.

There were six cases in 1999.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE