A seasonal farmworker has been brought into the emergency room showing early symptoms of tetanus, including spastic contractions of face and neck muscles.His coworkers indicated that he had received a puncture wound in his hand a week prior to the onset of symptoms.His tetanus vaccination status is uncertain.Which of the following should be administered to the patient first, as soon as possible?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient should receive tetanus immune globulin as soon as possible to provide immediate passive immunity. Tetanus toxoid should also be administered to initiate active immunity, but it takes some time for the immune response to develop. Antibiotics may be necessary if there is evidence of infection, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be useful in severe cases, but neither are as urgent as administering tetanus immune globulin to prevent progression of the disease. Checking the tetanus titer would provide useful information about the patient's immune status but would not be the first priority in this situation.

A Seasonal Farmworker Has Been Brought into the Emergency Room