title: Clinical profile of tetanus patients attended at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, disease caused by an exotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. It is characterized by generalized rigidity and convulsive spasms of skeletal muscles. Tetanus remains a major public health problem in Ethiopia like other developed nations. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical profile and outcome of tetanus patients in a referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective cross sectional study in which we collected, compiled and analyzed medical records of patients aged greater than 15 years who were admitted at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital from Sep 2012 to Sep 2015. Tetanus was diagnosed using clinical observations. Data were entered, cleared, and analyzed using SPSS statistical software package.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 110 tetanus cases 84 (76.4 %) were males. Trauma was the most common antecedent cause. Most of the patients had no history of tetanus toxoid immunization. Aspiration pneumonia at 34.5 % and dysautonomia at 11.8 % were found to be the most frequently observed complications. About 36 (32.7 %) patients were died due to tetanus and the most common immediate cause of death was respiratory failure at (83.3 %). Patients' area of residence (p = 0.004), type of complications (p = 0.00) and severity of tetanus (p = 0.00) were found to be statistically associated with the type of treatment outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the study, the case-fatality rate was found to be very high. Therefore, there is a need to universal tetanus immunization and health information dissemination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 1383 or 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Awoke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derbie
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Anteneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amdu
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Amanuel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alamneh
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Amare
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tadege
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Amelwork
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Bihanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elfu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 1383 or 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mekonnen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Yinebeb
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mezgebu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Seble
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Worku
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 1383 or 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Fantahun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biadglegne
keywords: Bahir Dar; Case fatality; Immunization; Tetanus