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Hurt Toe To A Sculpture That Was Rusty. Had Bleeding. Took Tetanus Tdap. Should I Be Worried?
Posted on
Fri, 5 Jul 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 5 Jul 2013
Answered on
Sat, 3 Aug 2013
Last reviewed on
Question : scraped my toe on an outdoor sculpture... it looked a bit rusty. Just a small scrape. It did bleed but only a very little. I had a tetanus Tdap .5ml in 2007. Should I worry about tetanus shot and if so how soon do I have to get it if I know tonight I cannot. Thanks
Hi,
The effectiveness of tetanus shots fade away gradually with time. My question to you would be whether you have received regular T dap shots when you were a child and thereafter at every 10 years. If you had been doing that then you need not be worried about tetanus; you are protected against it in all circumstances and in all injuries.
Either if you were not immunized as a child or thereafter with boosters, I think you need to repeat the T dap vaccine now.
A rusted outdoor sculpture injury does risk you to tetanus. T dap shot within 48 hours is sufficient to protect against this infection.
Hope this information is helpful. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Request you to close this discussion if you do not need clarifications.
Regards
The effectiveness of tetanus shots fade away gradually with time. My question to you would be whether you have received regular T dap shots when you were a child and thereafter at every 10 years. If you had been doing that then you need not be worried about tetanus; you are protected against it in all circumstances and in all injuries.
Either if you were not immunized as a child or thereafter with boosters, I think you need to repeat the T dap vaccine now.
A rusted outdoor sculpture injury does risk you to tetanus. T dap shot within 48 hours is sufficient to protect against this infection.
Hope this information is helpful. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Request you to close this discussion if you do not need clarifications.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I am not sure what I had as a child. I know my mother said I had all the regular shots as they were to be given. I was born in 1981. I only know for sure and have record of my tetanus shot given back in 2007.
In this circumstance, the best approach would be to go and the get the shots (Tdap) - what is known as post exposure prophylaxis.
Post exposure prophylaxis is most effective when they are taken at the earliest. In this case vaccination within 48 hours is recommended.
Hope it helps. Let me know if you need clarification.
Best wishes
Post exposure prophylaxis is most effective when they are taken at the earliest. In this case vaccination within 48 hours is recommended.
Hope it helps. Let me know if you need clarification.
Best wishes
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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