Question

Thanks do you think the prevalence of Maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) will reduce dramatically in the next 5 to 10 years? If not what do you think the main challenges the global community faces in addressing this challenge?

Answer 1

Tetanus is an acute, potentially fatal disease that is characterized by generalized increased rigidity and convulsive spasms of skeletal muscles. Tetanus is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Clostridium tetani. In the United States, reported mortality due to tetanus has declined at a constant rate since the early 1900s, and documented tetanus incidence has declined since the mid- to late 1940s. Several factors have contributed to the decline in tetanus morbidity and mortality, including the widespread use of tetanus toxoid–containing vaccines . Despite the availability of highly effective tetanus toxoid–containing vaccines, tetanus continues to have a substantial health impact in the world. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 34,019 newborns died from neonatal tetanus, a 96% reduction from the late 1980s.[8] Neonatal tetanus elimination was defined in 1993 as fewer than 1 case of neonatal tetanus for every 1,000 live births per year.As of December 2016, only few countries have not eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus. It is estimated that , with in the next 5 years of time, there will be a complete reduction in the prevalence of maternal and neonatal tetanus.