TETANUS ANTITOXIN ( EQUINE)

Therapeutic action

• Neutralisation of tetanus toxin. Tetanus antiserum provides temporary passive immunity against tetanus for 2 weeks.

Indications

• Prevention of tetanus in wound management, in patients non immunised or incompletely immunised or in patients whose immunisation status is unknown, in combination with tetanus vaccine
• Treatment of clinical tetanus

Composition, forms and strengths, route of administration

• Solution prepared from the serum of horses immunised against tetanus toxin
• 1500 IU in 1 ml ampoule, for IM injection. DO NOT ADMINISTER BY IV ROUTE.

Dosage and duration

Prevention of tetanus

• Tetanus antiserum is administered in the event of tetanus-prone wounds, e.g. wounds with fracture, deep penetrating wounds, bite wounds, wounds containing foreign bodies, wounds contaminated with soil, infected wounds, extensive tissue damage (contusions, burns).
  Child and adult: 1500 IU single dose; 3000 IU if more than 24 hours has elapsed
• It is administered as soon as possible after injury, along with the tetanus vaccine, in a separate syringe and injection site.

Treatment of tetanus

• Neonate: 1500 IU single dose
• Child and adult: 10 000 IU single dose

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

• Do not administer to patients with known allergy to tetanus antiserum.
• May cause: hypersensitivity reactions, anaphylactic shock, Quinke oedema; serum sickness up to 10 days after injection.
• Administer following Besredka's method: inject 0.1 ml by SC route and wait 15 minutes; if no local or general allergic reactions occur, inject 0.25 ml by SC route and wait 15 minutes; if no reactions, administer the injection by IM route.
• Ensure that the injection does not enter a blood vessel (risk of shock): aspirate prior to injection to confirm that the needle is not in a vein.
• Pregnancy: no contra-indication
• Breast-feeding: no contra-indication

Remarks

• Equine tetanus antitoxin is not included in the WHO list of essential medicines.

Storage