Term Name: | tetanus |
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Synonyms: | clostridial tetanus, Infection due to Clostridium tetani |
Definition: | A primary bacterial infectious disease that results in prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers, has_material_basis_in Clostridium tetani, which produces tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin, which is carried to the brain and spinal cord, where it binds irreversibly to receptors inhibiting neurotransmission. Damaged upper motor neurons cannot control reflex responses to afferent sensory stimuli. |
Ontology: | Human Disease [DOID:11338] ( DOID:11338 ) |