Tetanus is caused by a bacterial infection with the bacterium Clostridium tetani(1). Which is a Gram-positive anaerobic rod, with flagella and therefore mobile (1). The bacteria, when in its normal habitat, is very sensitive to heat and cannot survive in the presence of oxygen; however, bacteria can also form terminal spores, which are highly resistant to heat, antiseptics, and able to survive in the presence of oxygen (4). Terminal spores can be found in the intestines of various animals and in soil, so fields covered with manure have a high probability of containing tetani endospores, and can also be found on human skin (4). The mode of transmission used by Clostridium tetani is indirect physical contact, due to the transfer of the bacteria by bite and contact with soil, manure and rusty nails containing the terminal spores (4). The reservoir in which the bacteria are usually found is in the intestine of herbivorous mammals like cows (4). Mammals release the terminal spore form of the bacteria through their feces (4). When the spores have entered the punctured wound of the body and all the ideal life needs of the bacteria are met, the bacteria then germinates, the ideal environment is usually at the location where the wound occurred, because the cells dead constitute a good living environment for bacteria (4). Once the bacteria has germinated, Clostridium tetani then produces its exotoxins: tatanospasmin and tetanolysin. Tetanolysin has no known pathogenic characteristics; however, tatanospasmin is the known factor in tetanus (2). Tatanospasmin is a very potent toxin and is a peptide composed of a heavy chain and a light chain connected by disulfide bonds (2). The heavy chain is responsible for binding to neuronal cells, while the light chain...... middle of paper ......xin enters the patient and binds and inactivates toxins still present in the patient (3 ). Healthy patients immunized against tetanus can donate blood to use their developed tetanus immunoglobin (3). There is a tetanus vaccine that helps prevent future C. tetani infections, it usually lasts about 5 years (3). A vaccine is prepared by injecting a weakened form of the toxin tatanospasmin and allowing the patient's body to develop immunity against tetanus (3). The conversation with the store owner gave me knowledge on the topic of tetanus and influenced my future decisions when 2 years later I was on vacation with my family and my younger brother had stepped on a rusty nail. I quickly told him not to ignore it and managed to send him to the hospital for treatment before the Clostridium tetani could do even more damage to him..