Analysis of 92 hospitalized cases of non-neonatal tetanus in Guizhou Province, China
5 affiliations
- 1School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University , ,
- 2Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Immunization Program , , ,
- 3Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Department of Emergency Surgery , , ,
- 4Zunyi Center for Disease Control and Prevention , , ,
- 5Nanming District Center for Disease Control and Prevention , , ,
Abstract
Background: Tetanus has a high mortality rate and remains a major public health threat in low- and middle-income countries. Although neonatal tetanus has been eliminated in China, the burden of non-neonatal tetanus is still heavy. This study analyzed the case characteristics, outcomes, and hospitalization expenses of non-neonatal tetanus inpatients in Guizhou Province, China, and provided a basis for reducing the disease burden.
Methods: One tertiary medical institution was randomly selected from each of the nine cities (states) in the province, and the data of non-neonatal tetanus hospitalized cases from 2021 to 2025 were collected. Descriptive epidemiological methods, the simple seasonal index method, and multiple linear regression were used in the analysis.
Results: A total of 92 cases were included. Males accounted for 65.22% (60/92); farmers accounted for 86.96% (80/92); the median age was 60 (55–69) years; the incubation period ranged from 1 to 27 days; and cases peaked in summer. 95.65% (88/92) were not vaccinated with tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine (TTCV), and only 21.74% (20/92) received standardized treatment within 24 h after injury. The case fatality rate was 15.22% (14/92). None of the non-survivors were inoculated with TTCV, no standardized treatment was performed within 24 h after injury, the severity was severe or above, and the family members gave up treatment on their own. The median hospitalization cost was 55,724 yuan (equivalent to 8,359 US Dollars); the highest was 239,365 yuan (equivalent to 35,905 US Dollars); and the number of hospitalization days was the main influencing factor ( t = 5.751, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Non-neonatal tetanus in Guizhou Province was mainly in middle-aged and older male farmers, with a high incidence in summer, and most of them were not vaccinated with TTCV. The non-survivors were not vaccinated with TTCV and did not receive standard treatment within 24 h after injury. The disease had a high case fatality rate and was a serious economic burden. It is recommended to strengthen TTCV vaccination and standardized post-exposure disposal in high-risk groups, enhance medical financial support to prevent abandonment of treatment for economic reasons, and ensure that patients receive timely and comprehensive clinical care.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026analysis,
title = {{Analysis of 92 hospitalized cases of non-neonatal tetanus in Guizhou Province, China}},
author = {Jiao Li and Dandan Zhang and Ruizhi Zhang and Leibing Zhang and Bin Qu and Yan Zhang and Luyu Tang and Jun Li and Ming Liu},
journal = {Frontiers in public health},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1951130},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661992},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Analysis of 92 hospitalized cases of non-neonatal tetanus in Guizhou Province, China
AU - Jiao Li
AU - Dandan Zhang
AU - Ruizhi Zhang
AU - Leibing Zhang
AU - Bin Qu
AU - Yan Zhang
AU - Luyu Tang
AU - Jun Li
AU - Ming Liu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Frontiers in public health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1951130
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661992
AB - Background: Tetanus has a high mortality rate and remains a major public health threat in low- and middle-income countries. Although neonatal tetanus has been eliminated in China, the burden of non-neonatal tetanus is still heavy. This study analyzed the case characteristics, outcomes, and hospitalization expenses of non-neonatal tetanus inpatients in Guizhou Province, China, and provided a basis for reducing the disease burden. Methods: One tertiary medical institution was randomly selected from each of the nine cities (states) in the province, and the data of non-neonatal tetanus hospitalized cases from 2021 to 2025 were collected. Descriptive epidemiological methods, the simple seasonal index method, and multiple linear regression were used in the analysis. Results: A total of 92 cases were included. Males accounted for 65.22% (60/92); farmers accounted for 86.96% (80/92); the median age was 60 (55–69) years; the incubation period ranged from 1 to 27 days; and cases peaked in summer. 95.65% (88/92) were not vaccinated with tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine (TTCV), and only 21.74% (20/92) received standardized treatment within 24 h after injury. The case fatality rate was 15.22% (14/92). None of the non-survivors were inoculated with TTCV, no standardized treatment was performed within 24 h after injury, the severity was severe or above, and the family members gave up treatment on their own. The median hospitalization cost was 55,724 yuan (equivalent to 8,359 US Dollars); the highest was 239,365 yuan (equivalent to 35,905 US Dollars); and the number of hospitalization days was the main influencing factor ( t = 5.751, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Non-neonatal tetanus in Guizhou Province was mainly in middle-aged and older male farmers, with a high incidence in summer, and most of them were not vaccinated with TTCV. The non-survivors were not vaccinated with TTCV and did not receive standard treatment within 24 h after injury. The disease had a high case fatality rate and was a serious economic burden. It is recommended to strengthen TTCV vaccination and standardized post-exposure disposal in high-risk groups, enhance medical financial support to prevent abandonment of treatment for economic reasons, and ensure that patients receive timely and comprehensive clinical care.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -