State Medical Academy of Post-Diploma Medical Training, Tbilisi, Georgia
During the period of 1961 — 1990 the regular immunological and epidemiological monitoring of tetanus was carried out. At the prevaccination period (1937 — 1960) 140 cases of tetanus were registered, 77 patients died (morbidity rate being 0.97 — 0.11 per 100,000 of the population with mortality rate equal to 55.6%). At the period of mass vaccinal prophylaxis (1960 — 1990) 56 cases were registered and 27 patients died (the corresponding values: 0.09 — 0.11 with 48.2% mortality). In 1981 — 1990 altogether 53,213 vaccinees were examined. 4,864 vaccinees (8.9%) proved to be seronegative and 43,615 vaccinees (81.9%) were found to have protective antibody titers. 4,220 pregnant women were examined; 476 women (11.2%) proved to be seronegative and 3,576 women (84.3%) were found to have protective antibody titers. Timely specific prophylaxis proved to be the only way for decreasing tetanus morbidity.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2003, No. 1, P. 70—72