The following is a summary of “Global epidemiology and burden of tetanus from 1990 to 2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019,” published in the July 2023 issue of the Infectious Disease by Li et al.

Tetanus is a severe infectious condition. Numerous medical professionals have reported tetanus’s epidemiology and disease characteristics in recent decades, but these studies typically have small sample sizes.  Researchers extracted all tetanus-related epidemiological data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study and executed a secondary analysis to report tetanus’s global epidemiology and disease burden. 

The incidence and mortality rate of tetanus decreased worldwide from 1990 to 2019. Countries with a high sociodemographic index (SDI) generally have lower age-standard incidence and mortality rates than those with low SDI. In regions with a low SDI, newborns had the most significant risk for tetanus. In regions with a high SDI, most tetanus cases occurred in individuals aged 70 and older. The incidence of tetanus was substantially higher among men than among women. 

From 1990 to 2019, the incidence of tetanus decreased significantly around the globe. In areas with a low SDI, neonatal tetanus is severe, whereas the proportion of elderly tetanus is highest in areas with a high SDI. Tetanus containment in all age groups and sexes necessitates efforts from all sectors.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971223005325