Support wikiHow by MMWR 2013; 62 (07):131-5. Alice! ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013. Once diagnosed, a treatment plan may consist of medications such as a tetanus antitoxin, which neutralizes any toxin that hasn't yet combined with nerve tissue, or antibiotics, which are used to fight tetanus bacteria in the body. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Know-when-You-Need-a-Tetanus-Shot-Step-4-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Know-when-You-Need-a-Tetanus-Shot-Step-4-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Know-when-You-Need-a-Tetanus-Shot-Step-4-Version-3.jpg\/aid140853-v4-728px-Know-when-You-Need-a-Tetanus-Shot-Step-4-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Wounds involving necrotic, or dead, tissue. A cut or wound is a good opportunity for the bacteria to enter the body and flourish. The tetanus shot is actually a vaccine which contains inactivated toxins (released by the bacteria). Tetanus is a toxoid vaccine (containing inactivated toxins) that provides artificial immunity by manufacturing a pool of antitoxins in the body to give instant protection. Copyright by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. Td. Better safe than sorry—if you're particularly worried about being infected with tetanus, just get the vaccination. Vaccination is important, since there is no cure for tetanus, a disease caused by a bacterial toxin found in the soil, dirt, and animal feces. If you haven’t had a tetanus booster shot in the past decade, your doctor may recommend getting one. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Tetanus (Lockjaw) Vaccination. If you’re unsure whether or not you need the shot, visit your doctor just to be safe. They can also happen when heavy objects are dropped onto parts of the body. If you step on a nail and have not had a tetanus shot in the last five years, how soon should a person be vaccinated?