Aydin-Teke Türkan, Bayhan Gülstüm Iclal, Afşarlar Cağatay Evrim, Oz Fatma Nur, Akansel Abdul Ragip, Tanir Gönül
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Turk J Pediatr. 2011 Jul-Aug;53(4):437-40.
Tetanus is still a difficult-to-treat disease with high morbidity and mortality. Although it most commonly occurs in non-immunized children, it can also be seen in partially immunized or immunized children. We report herein two pediatric cases of generalized tetanus. Case 1 presented with signs of acute abdomen, while Case 2 presented with the typical clinical findings of tetanus. In this report, we highlight the importance of obtaining a history of the vaccination status of pediatric patients as an essential part of the evaluation. Furthermore, the differential diagnosis of non-immunized children with abdominal rigidity should include generalized tetanus.
