Q.Write the pathogen of Tetanus. Mention one symptom and a preventive measure of it.

Tetanus

A small, dirty wound — a rusty nail, a cut in the soil — can lead to a deadly disease that locks the body's muscles into painful, rigid spasms. That disease is tetanus, and it is a striking example of how a bacterium can harm the body not by invading it widely, but by releasing a powerful toxin.

The WHY — a toxin, not an invasion

Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. Its spores live in soil and dust and enter the body through deep wounds (punctures, cuts). Deep wounds are dangerous because they are low in oxygen (anaerobic) — exactly the conditions this bacterium needs. There the bacteria multiply and release a potent neurotoxin (tetanospasmin).

How the toxin causes the symptoms

The toxin travels to the nervous system and blocks the signals that normally relax muscles. With relaxation switched off, muscles contract uncontrollably, producing:

• Lockjaw — stiffness and spasm of the jaw muscles (the hallmark sign),
• Painful muscle spasms and rigidity, spreading to the neck, back and body,
• Difficulty swallowing, and in severe cases spasm of breathing muscles.

Prevention and treatment