Pediatric Tetanus in Central Pennsylvania

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2019 Sep 25;8(4):358-360. doi: 10.1093/jpids/piy086.

Abstract

Approximately 20% of the nationally reported tetanus infections in children aged 0 to 14 years that occurred in the United States between 2005 and 2015 were treated at Penn State Children's Hospital. With an electronic medical record search, we identified 5 cases of pediatric tetanus; 100% of these cases occurred in unimmunized children. Their median length of stay was 10 days, and the costs were significant.

Keywords: Amish; central Pennsylvania; tetanus; vaccine- preventable illness.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amish
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / economics
  • Hospitals, Pediatric
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pennsylvania / epidemiology
  • Tetanus / economics
  • Tetanus / epidemiology*
  • Tetanus / physiopathology