Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Post Neonatal Tetanus as Seen in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria: Prevalence, Clinical Profile and Outcome

Tamunoiyowuna Grace Okari, Boma Awoala West

Asian Journal of Research in Infectious Diseases · pp. 38–47 · Published 10 Jun 2021

10.9734/ajrid/2021/v7i130209

Abstract

Background: Post neonatal tetanus, a vaccine preventable disease is a cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in many developing countries including Nigeria. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence, clinical profile and outcome of children with post-neonatal tetanus. Methods: This prospective observational study carried out over 3years in the Paediatric ward of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, was among children older than 28days and up to 16years. Result: Of 966 children admitted during the period of study, 12 had post-neonatal tetanus giving a prevalence of 1.2%. Six (50%) were > 10years old with a M:F ratio of 5:1, 5(41.7%) resided in rural areas and all (100%) were of low socioeconomic status. Six (50%) did not receive tetanus toxoid vaccine and no child had booster doses. Portal of entry for the infection was majorly via injuries on their limbs, 7(58.3%). The mean incubation period was 10.58±7.39 days while the mean onset interval was 31.58±27.85 hours. Three (25%) children had severe tetanus using Ablett’s classification with spasm 11(91.7%) documented as the commonest symptom. Half, 6(50%) of the children had autonomic complications and an overall case fatality rate of 25%. Conclusion: The prevalence of post-neonatal tetanus in the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital was low being 1.2%, although unacceptable. The mortality rate of post-neonatal tetanus of 25% was high. Thus, there is a need to strengthen existing immunization program and immediately adopt the commencement of booster doses of tetanus toxoid vaccines for eligible children in Nigeria.

Post-neonatal tetanus prevalence clinical profile outcome teaching hospital Nigeria

References (9)

  1. 1 Tetanus: a review of the literature [DOI]
  2. 2 Profile and outcome of patients with post-neonatal tetanus in a tertiary centre in south west Nigeria: any remarkable reduction in the scourge? [DOI]
  3. 3 Two years [DOI]
  4. 4 Clinical profile and prognostic indicators of tetanus in children [DOI]
  5. 5 Post-neonatal Tetanus in a PICU of a Developing Economy: Intensive Care Needs, Outcome and Predictors of Mortality [DOI]
  6. 6 Pattern And Outcome Of Childhood Tetanus In Aba [DOI]
  7. 7 Demographic survey and management outcome of Post-Neonatal Tetanus at the Ekiti state university teaching hospital, Ado Ekiti [DOI]
  8. 8 Post-Neonatal tetanus from broomstick injuries: a word of caution for caregivers [DOI]
  9. 9 Tetanus in School Age Children Seen at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital: A Need for Booster Doses of Tetanus Vaccine [DOI]

Cited by 2

Post-neonatal tetanus in Abeokuta, south-western Nigeria

Iyabode Olabisi Florence Dedeke, Morufat Mojisola Ogundeyi, Gregory Olawole Arifalo · Paediatrics and International Child Health · 2025

Showing 1 of 2 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

48

Page views

0

PDF downloads

58

Outbound clicks

2

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.