Watch CBS News

3 Cases Of Tetanus Reported In Michigan

STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - Doctors in Michigan are reminding adults to make sure they are up to date on their tetanus shots after the State Health Department reported three recent cases of the disease.

Beaumont Hospital Dr. Richard Weiermiller tells WWJ Newsradio 950 the disease, commonly known as "lockjaw", can do just that.

"It produces a toxin and that toxin leads to a muscle tetany, or contraction. And, if you can't breathe, certainly that is not compatible with life for very long," he said.

Dr. Weiermiller said, in his 13 years in practice, he's never seen a case of the disease.

"Anytime we have a vaccine-preventable disease that is showing up at a rate higher than we should be seeing it, which really a vaccine-preventable disease should be close to zero, then, yeah, that should be concerning," he said, adding that outdoors is where one would likely contract the disease.

"Either through camping and summer activities and that way, or in their backyards gardening. Soil is where you're going to find the tetanus, and so as a result, if you're a gardener you're certainly at high-risk for being exposed," he said.

Dr. Weiermiller said adults should get booster tetanus shot every ten years.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.