An Epidemiological Profile of Accidental Tetanus Cases in a Referral Hospital, 2007-2013

Objective: to describe the epidemiological profile of accidental tetanus cases in a referral hospital in the State of Pernambuco, during 2007-2013. Method: this is a descriptive, retrospective, quantitative study based on secondary data. Results: there were 126 cases confirmed. Most of them (88.9%) were male and from the urban area (77%). The most frequent professions were agricultural workers in general and masons (31.7%), with age group between 35-49 years old (39.7%). Drilling was the most evident injury (48.4%). The lower limbs were the most affected region (65.1%), and the predominant clinical sign was trismus (90.5%). The lethality rate was 19.0%, and the mean length of hospital stay was 49.4 days. Conclusions: Accidental tetanus is an immune- preventable disease, the vaccine is highly immunologically effective. However, it remains a public health problem in Pernambuco, presenting high lethality and a long time in the service.&nbsp