Cuts, Scrapes and Puncture Wounds (cont.)Medical Author:
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEPJohn P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACRDr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. In this Article
 Will I need a tetanus shot for a cut, scrape, or puncture wound?Most people in the United States have been immunized against tetanus (lockjaw). If the affected person has been immunized, he or she will need a booster shot if they have not had one within 10 years (if it is a very dirty wound or occurs in a tetanus prone area, they will need a booster within five years). If affected person has never had a tetanus shot, or if their series is incomplete (fewer than three shots), they might need tetanus immunoglobulin, a medication that can prevent lockjaw. REFERENCE: eMedicineHealth.com. Wound Care. Reviewed by William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR on 10/4/2011 |
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