Clostridium Tetani

Morphology

i)                    Shape – It is fairly long , thin and rod shaped bacillus

ii)                   Size – About 8 μin length and 0.5 μ uin breadth .

iii)                 Pleomorphism may be found

iv)                 Spore – Terminal spores like drum stick are present .

v)                  Capsule – It is absent

vi)                 Flagella – Weavy peritrichate flagella are present and so it is motile .

vii)               Gram positive bacillus .

viii)              Non-acid fast bacillus .

Pathogenesis of Clostridium tetani

i)                    The toxin liberated by clostridium tetani passes the nerve cells of the anterior horn cell of the spinal cord by way of axons or perineural lymphatics of the regional motor nerves and gives rise to tonic muscular contraction .

ii)                   The toxinmay pass into the blood stream and enter into the central nervous system .

iii)                 Incubation period is about 8-days .

iv)                 There will be series of tonic muscular contraction locally and then in general . Due to the tonic muscular contraction there will be ‘ lock-jaw “ as the muscles of the jaw are frequently affected .