title: Tetanus in the Elderly: The Management of Intensive Care and Prolonged Hospitalization.
abstract: Tetanus is a potentially fatal infection. Approximately 100 cases are reported in Japan each year; however, little is known about its clinical course and outcomes in the current era of treatment. We herein report three cases of tetanus in elderly patients who survived after mechanical ventilation and intensive care. These patients, together with six other similar cases, had a median weaning period of 31 days and median length of stay of 77 days. In elderly patients, severe systemic forms of tetanus require prolonged mechanical ventilation and hospitalization. To improve prevention, tetanus vaccination should be promoted more aggressively among those who are susceptible to the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isono
authors.forename: Taiju
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyagami
authors.forename: Kohta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Momoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isono
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Harumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gomi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003422:Critical Care; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013742:Tetanus / Q000628:therapy*