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What does the tetanus shot actually prevent?
The following are the facts as I know them:
The primary cause of pathology with tetanus is the exotoxin released by Clostridium tetani.
It binds to neuromuscular junctions, causing persistant stimulation (resulting in muscle contraction).
The tetanus vaccine allows your body to make antibodies against the tetanus *toxin*.
So, the question is -- does the tetanus vaccine do anything to prevent the actual bacteria from replicating in your body? I know your body will take care of the bacteria eventually anyways, but I'm curious if the vaccine actually does anything to help with this.
Thoughts?
Ummmm... my impression is that the toxin itself is not alive, so I'm not sure how you can inject dead versions of it. Its secreted by the bacteria, but is not part of the bacteria itself.
I'm quite familiar with immunology, and how vaccines work (I've had whole courses in immunology), but I'm not sure that in this specific case that the vaccine actually helps your body deal with the infection, only with the toxin.
Weise Ente: That's my thought too... do you have any evidence of this though?
Been digging through my notes, and I can't seem to find much to back this up (other than a logical argument). I'm going to bug my bacteriology prof, and failing that, my immunology prof about this go get a definitive answer.
It actually has some real implications if this is the case. I'm looking at a study re. Mannheimia haemolytica toxoid use in feedlot cattle. Potentially, if the toxoid only causes the neutralization of the toxin, and does nothing for the actual infection, animals vaccinated with the toxoid might pose a risk to un-vaccinated animals as a potential disease reservoir. Its not dealt with in the study, which causes me some concern.
4 Answers
- Weise EnteLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
The vaccine does nothing against the bacteria, it merely neutralizes the toxin it produces. Without the toxin, the bacteria is essentially harmless and your immune system will mop up the infection.
- ?Lv 45 years ago
i'm confident that paying for the chicken pox is alot worse than getting the shot. rooster pox can circulate away scars on you, the shot won't. The tetanus shot isn't too risky although your arm in keeping with threat basically a splash mushy for some days. You would be terrific!
- 1 decade ago
The vaccine injects dead versions of the toxin, thus making your body produce antibodies against the toxin, so if your body eventually takes care of the bacteria, the vaccine simply makes your body take care of it quicker due to the presence of more antibodies.