Question
My baby was born prematurely 20 days ago, and is now around 20 days old. I’ve noticed that the muscles around the baby’s mouth are tense, with the upper and lower lips drawn tight. I’m worried that the baby might have tetanus. Can you tell me what the treatment principles for neonatal tetanus are?
Answer
Neonatal tetanus is an acute severe infection caused by Clostridium tetani entering through the umbilical cord. It usually occurs around seven days after birth. It is characterized by generalized skeletal muscle spasms and trismus. Patients often contract tetanus due to unsterilized scissors, threads, or improper sterilization during umbilical cord cutting, suture, or wrapping.