All issues > Volume 23(1); 1980

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1980;23(1):33-40. Published online January 15, 1980.

Clinical Study of Neonatal Tetanus.

Bun Sun Doh

¹Department of Pediatrics, Pusan children's Hospital, Pusan, Korea.

Abstract

Author observed clinically and epidemiologically total 60cases of neonatal tetanus who were admitted to the department of pediatrics, Pusan children hospital from Jan. 1974. To Aug. 1979, and reviewed literatures The following results were obtained. 1) The annual incidence of neonatal tetanus has been increased and over all mortality rate was 50.0%. 2) Sex incidence revealed that males predominated in a proportion of 2.2:1. 3) The peak incidence of a year was noted between July and October 4) Residence of patients distributed all over the Pusan city, Korea. 5) Most of the patients (98.3%) were delivered at home and umbilical cords were cut by unsteralized home scissors(90%) 6) Average incubation period was 6 days and peak incidence was noted between 4 and 6 days of life. 7) The patients whose body weight below 2500 gm on admission had poor prognosis. 8) The typical signs of neonatal tetanus such as sucking failure, trismus, convulsion, rigidity and irritability were observed in all patients. 9) The patients whose WBC counts on peripheral blood above 25,000/mm3 had high mortality rate(80%). 10) Most of the patients who survived for 8 th hospital days were recovered. 11) The average period of N-G tube feeding in recovered patients was 21 days.

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