Question 1

why does rust cause tetanus?

Accepted Answer

Not the rust: It is not the rust, but bacteria that often live on rusty nails.  It is the puncture wound that allows these bacteria to enter your body and grow in the relatively low oxygen environment of a puncture wound.

Question 2

could daily exposure to rust cause tetanus or some other type of illness?

Accepted Answer

Confusing Xrays: Rust in and by itself does not cause tetanus. However, chronic exposure to a cloud of rust particles could cause confusing chest xrays. Particle filters & masks are recommender in occupations where this is expected. Small rust particles can be inhaled into the deep areas of the lung & settle in. Xrays look sickly but patients tend to be asymptomatic. (siderosis).

Question 3

if tetanus thrives in rust and can be got by small scratches, why weren't cases more than 1 in 100,000 in usa in 1930s? surely more than that got cuts

Accepted Answer

Deep wounds only: Tetanus never takes hold in superficial, pre-existing skin wounds. Typically it takes a deep wound, as with a contaminated nail or other sharp object; or a damaging skin wound with ground-in dirt, soil, gravel, etc. Also, the vast majority of the population has been vaccinated against tetanus, which also explains its rarity.

Question 4

my daughter cut herself on a tin, small cut,  tin was clean no rust. does she need a tetanus injection?

Accepted Answer

Tetanus:  For a clean laceration, tetanus shot within 10 years is needed. For a dirty wound or object - tetanus shot within 5 years should be considered.

Question 5

if i scratch myself with a something rusty and there is no blood and i don't have tetanus shot would i get tetanus? or no rust where i scratched

Accepted Answer

Not rust: but bacteria which grow best in the absence of air that cause tetanus. Please get a tetanus booster right away.
Although the chance of infection is small, you are risking serious illness or death to avoid a tiny shot.

Question 6

should i get a tetanus shot? i've been getting small cuts/ scratches from metal lately i checked and i don't think there was rust. i am a hypochondriac

Accepted Answer

Child Vaccines: Nope. You will not be due again for a tetanus booster until you turn age 15.  Tetanus is part of the childhood vaccines that I am sure your mother has been keeping up with on the right schedule at your pediatrician's office.

Question 7

do you think i'll need to get a tetanus booster if i swallowed something with rust on it?

Accepted Answer

Depends: on what you swallowed.  Was it sharp? dirty? in soil? old? metal?  Most things with rust on them should not be swallowed.  If you have not had a recent tetanus booster, I recommend you get one.

Question 8

a little bit of rust entered my skin and blood. i got a tetanus shot 11 years ago. am i at risk of developing tetanus?

Accepted Answer

No risk, no worry: It isn't rust that causes tetanus. Tetanus bacteria often exist in dirty places (like soil and old nails) and usually can take hold only in deep wounds. The dirtin deep wounds is what leads some health education sources to mention rusty nails. But iron oxide (rust) in small amounts is harmless. (Your body is loaded with iron -- it give blood its red color!)

Question 9

if you got rust in a scratch that didnt bleed can u get tetanus? if so how long does it take to show symptoms? no booster since childhood

Accepted Answer

Don't worry: You can still get tetanus but chances are very low; recommendation is to have tetanus booster every 10 years with this minor wounds. You are due for your booster anyways so better you get it regardless of that rust in a scratch wound.

Question 10

we noticed in our food that there was a screw with some rust in it. is it possible that i could get tetanus from it? does it survive in our stomachs?

Accepted Answer

: NO, you don't.  Tetanus is caused by neurotoxin produced by bacterium called Clostridium tetani in contaminated and deep puncture wound. The organism is a normal inhabitant of soil and human intestine.

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Doctor answers about:

Does all rust have tetanus

A member asked:

Why does rust cause tetanus?

A member asked:

Could daily exposure to rust cause tetanus or some other type of illness?

A member asked:

If tetanus thrives in rust and can be got by small scratches, why weren't cases more than 1 in 100,000 in usa in 1930s? surely more than that got cuts

A member asked:

My daughter cut herself on a tin, small cut, tin was clean no rust. does she need a tetanus injection?

A member asked:

If i scratch myself with a something rusty and there is no blood and i don't have tetanus shot would i get tetanus? or no rust where i scratched

A member asked:

Should i get a tetanus shot? i've been getting small cuts/ scratches from metal lately i checked and i don't think there was rust. i am a hypochondriac

A member asked:

Do you think i'll need to get a tetanus booster if i swallowed something with rust on it?

A member asked:

A little bit of rust entered my skin and blood. i got a tetanus shot 11 years ago. am i at risk of developing tetanus?

A member asked:

If you got rust in a scratch that didnt bleed can u get tetanus? if so how long does it take to show symptoms? no booster since childhood

A member asked:

We noticed in our food that there was a screw with some rust in it. is it possible that i could get tetanus from it? does it survive in our stomachs?

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