Clostridium tetani is the bacteria that produces tetanus. This disease can be fatal, the Mayo Clinic reports, even with treatment, which is not always effective. The organization recommends having regular tetanus vaccine booster injections to prevent it and to properly care for any open wounds you may get. Clostridium tetani can be found anywhere. Once it infects a wound, it can prevent the nerves controlling muscles from working effectively.
Spasms
Spasms, essentially, are a tightening of your muscles. Your muscles may become rigid or stiff, according to the National Institutes of Health. Spasms also may make your muscles twitch. Tetanus, caused by the clostridium tetani bacteria, can causes spasms in all your muscles, in any part of your body. Most often, however, these spasms occur in the neck and jaw, as well as in the back, abdomen and chest.
Lockjaw
Tetanus most often is associated with a condition called lockjaw. This is a tightening of the muscles that control the jaw, making the area stiff and presenting difficulties when attempting to swallow. This stiffening also may occur elsewhere, such as in your back, abdominal area and chest.
Breathing Problems
Because the toxin of clostridium tetani can spread throughout your body if left unchecked, it can also affect the muscles that control your lungs and how you breathe. If spasms tighten the respiratory muscles, you may find it difficult to expand and contract the lungs fully when you inhale and exhale. This is a serious problem. It can occur as the bacteria incubates in three days to three weeks. The Mayo Clinic reports that the average incubation period is of eight days.
Fever
Clostridium tetani is a bacterial infection, so along with the muscle problems that are specific to it, it also can induce a fever in your body. The average human temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius, although this may vary slightly from person to person. Any body temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37.778 Celsius, is considered a fever.
