A case of tetanus in a child has been registered in Lviv region, the child has been hospitalized and is being provided with the necessary medical care, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reported on Friday, UNN reports.
Details
"A case of suspected tetanus was registered in Lviv region in an 11-year-old child. She is currently in the intensive care unit and has been injected with tetanus immunoglobulin," the ministry said.
As indicated, the child's mother sought medical attention after the onset of symptoms characteristic of tetanus (difficulty opening the mouth and speaking, back pain, and hypertonicity of all muscles).
After examination and epidemiological investigation, doctors and specialists from the Lviv Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that the child had not been vaccinated against tetanus. "She could have gotten infected while playing in the yard, as evidenced by scratches and damage to the nail plate on her hands and arms or as a result of ear piercing at home and subsequent infection through the wounds," the Ministry of Health said.
Addendum
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the only reliable way to protect against tetanus is through vaccination. Vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis are administered at 2, 4, 6, and 18 months according to the vaccination schedule.
Vaccination is free of charge and can be done at vaccination centers in hospitals across the country, after making an appointment with a family doctor. Revaccination is required at the age of 6 and 16. From the age of 26, scheduled revaccination for adults is mandatory every 10 years. "Currently, the country is provided with free vaccine for routine vaccinations for children and revaccination of adults," the Ministry of Health reported.
At the end of 2023, the vaccination rate against diphtheria and tetanus among Ukrainians was reportedly 37% lower than in EU countries. In 2023, only 151,697 children were vaccinated. The rest skipped the vaccination. Therefore, this year the Ministry of Health initiated an additional round of vaccination of children and revaccination of adults against diphtheria and tetanus.