India, Sept. 24 -- A cut while chopping vegetables, a scrape after a fall, or a deep wound from a road accident may seem like a routine injury. But some wounds are susceptible to tetanus, a serious infection caused by Clostridium tetani. The bacterium lives in dust, manure, and soil, and forms spores that can enter the body through broken skin.

Tetanus is a nervous system disease that causes painful muscle tightening and spasms, especially in the jaw and neck, and can be fatal if left untreated. "Tetanus can be prevented by vaccination and proper wound care," Dr. Anirvan Karmakar, Sr. Consultant - Adult Critical Care Medicine, Narayana Hospital, Howrah, tells Health Shots. Whether you need a tetanus vaccine after an injury depends on the...