Tetanus: historical and palaeopathological aspects considering its current health impact
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Keywords

Clostridium tetani
history of medicine
infectious diseases
palaeopathology
vaccination
tetanus
toxin

Abstract

The present article summarises the historical and palaeopathological evidence of tetanus, an ineradicable yet vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Clostridium tetani. The antiquity of the disease is described thanks to historical written sources, artistic references and very recent palaeogenetic data. A recollection of now long-supplanted therapies is offered together with a focus on the introduction of an effective vaccine. Moreover, a potential identification of tetanus in the Bible is analysed and general considerations on the current health relevance of tetanus are presented.

https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2024.65.4.3376
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