- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Part 9.1 Anatomy and physiology
- Part 9.2 Neurological monitoring
- Part 9.3 Sleep disturbance
- Part 9.4 Agitation, confusion, and delirium
- Part 9.5 The unconscious patient
- Part 9.6 Seizures
- Part 9.7 Intracranial hypertension
- Part 9.8 Stroke
- Part 9.9 Non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Part 9.10 Meningitis and encephalitis
- Part 9.11 Non-traumatic spinal injury
- Part 9.12 Neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 243 Epidemiology, diagnosis, and assessment of neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 244 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of myasthenia gravis and paramyasthenic syndromes
- Chapter 245 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of tetanus, rabies, and botulism
- Chapter 246 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome
- Chapter 247 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of hyperthermic crises
- Chapter 248 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of ICU-acquired weakness
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 1164) Diagnosis, assessment, and management of tetanus, rabies, and botulism
- Chapter:
- (p. 1164) Diagnosis, assessment, and management of tetanus, rabies, and botulism
- Author(s):
Jeffrey Lipman
and Robert J. Boots
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0245
Tetanus, rabies and botulism are all infections characterized by the production of a neurotoxin, and generally do not give rise to a systemic inflammatory response. Typically tetanus result from the infection of wounds by the ubiquitious soil-borne bacteria Clostridium tetanii, botulism is most commonly due to toxin produced in food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Rabies usually results from an animal bite infected with the rabies virus of the Lyssavirus group. Neurological involvement by all three infections is characterized by paralysis and autonomic instability with tetanus also being associated with muscular rigidity. Importantly, the autonomic dysfunction of tetanus can be severe and may necessitate prolonged treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU). Active immunization can prevent or minimize the symptoms of tetanus and rabies, while passive immunization may slow symptom progression in botulism. Intensive care support is often required to manage respiratory failure and autonomic dysfunction. Rabies is typically fatal in the absence of prior immunization.
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Part 9.1 Anatomy and physiology
- Part 9.2 Neurological monitoring
- Part 9.3 Sleep disturbance
- Part 9.4 Agitation, confusion, and delirium
- Part 9.5 The unconscious patient
- Part 9.6 Seizures
- Part 9.7 Intracranial hypertension
- Part 9.8 Stroke
- Part 9.9 Non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Part 9.10 Meningitis and encephalitis
- Part 9.11 Non-traumatic spinal injury
- Part 9.12 Neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 243 Epidemiology, diagnosis, and assessment of neuromuscular syndromes
- Chapter 244 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of myasthenia gravis and paramyasthenic syndromes
- Chapter 245 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of tetanus, rabies, and botulism
- Chapter 246 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome
- Chapter 247 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of hyperthermic crises
- Chapter 248 Diagnosis, assessment, and management of ICU-acquired weakness
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care