[Patients with tetanus from South-eastern Poland in material from the Clinic of Infectious diseases in Krakow in the years 1963-1992].

The incidence of tetanus is more frequent in South-Eastern Poland than other areas of the country. The patients are treated in Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Cracow. Our observations concern 869 patients of the last 30 years. In the years 1963-1972 young patients prevailed and the mortality rate was 28% in the years 1983-1992. 15% of the patients were below 50 years of the age and 44% were above the age of 70. The mortality rate in the latter period (the third decade) increased to 42%. The increase in the age of the patients is explained by the introduction of immunization against tetanus and the mortality rate increase by the greater frequency of respiratory failure and other complications of the disease and treatment in elderly patients.