"Space" typed



"La Puce" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 7 Feb, 10:53, Sacha wrote:
Just a word of warning to those who haven't had a tetanus jab lately.
Please keep up to date! Those working with sharp implements and/or
delving
into the soil need them. My husband tried to separate two of our dogs
having a fight last Friday

Ths is very well, or perhaps not, but your husband got bitten by your
own dog and therefore didn't get infected by soil. But, he is a
nursery man, working with soil all the time. How truly bizarre to give
such a warning to gardeners who are, I very much suspect, up to date
with their jabs, I know I am - 4 years before the next one - and not
look closer to home?!

it all depends on whether or not Ray injured himself whilst working with
soil, or if if he had open sores.

dog bites are relevant to this scenario.

just because he works with soil does not mean he is at risk. it would
depend upon inury or prior injury whilst gardening.

it is not bizarre to give the warning. as a gardener (albeit a novice, and
therefore more prone to injury!) I have not had a tetanus since leaving
school..... I left school just before GCSEs were brought in.



You are probably OK. (I'm old enough to have done O Levels...)

It is thought that 5 injections of Tetanus Toxoid gives lifelong
immunity. A child born and raised in the UK would normaly have acourse
of 3 doses as an infant (currently 2,3 and 4 months, combined with
polio[1], diphtheria and whooping cough) one at school entry and one at
school leaving. These 5 doses should be sufficient.

Tetanus toxoid is now combined with a diphtheria vaccine and this is
used for boosters. I tried to get a booster for foregin travel last
year, but the surgery did not obtain the vaccine on time.

Many people who develop tetanus cannot remember any significant injury
and have no scars. It is thought that some have had seemingly trivial
encounters wih rose thorns and the like.

An attack of tetanus gives no useful immunity against the disease and
victims should be immunised on recovery.

I have read reports of attacks of tetanus despite full immunisation, so
the protectin is not quite absolutely perfect.

[1] The oral and injected polio vaccines are completely separate
entities, the oral being live and the injected dead.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.