Parental Rejection to Vaccination. A Tetanus Case Report, La Libertad, Perú

Abstract

Introduction : Maternal and neonatal tetanus is considered an eliminated but not eradicated disease in America. However, there are still small groups of people who delay or reject immunizations causing isolated cases or outbreaks of preventable diseases such as measles or tetanus. In Peru, the National Vaccination Scheme is mandatory in all health facilities and starts within the first hours of life, when the child does not yet have the capacity to make decisions for himself, therefore, the responsibility for their heal th lies with the parents or guardians. Objective : To report a clinical case of an under - aged patient with generalized tetanus, with a history of incomplete vaccination, emphasizing parental refusal to vaccination and medical care leading to the child’s de cease. Case Report : Three - year - old female patient, with parents of low socioeconomic and educational status, who reported incomplete vaccination scheme (only received BCG and HVB newborn vaccines) due to parents’ rejection. The patient presented an unquan tified thermal rise sensation, facial paralysis, trismus, hyperextension of both lower limbs in supine position, and hypertonicity. She was treated in Víctor Lazarte Hospital and Virgen de la Puerta Hospital for 9 days, presenting little improvement with t he support treatment. The parents requested voluntary discharge and while returning home the patient dies. In the following days the family refused to vaccinate their other children. Conclusions : The parental refusal to children’s immunization can end up in death caused by preventable diseases such as tetanus.