‘Once Bitten’: A Case of Tetanus Following Snakebite in Australia

Abstract

We present a case of tetanus following a snakebite in Victoria, Australia. An otherwise healthy 58-year-old woman presented following suspected Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) bite with envenomation. She was not up-to-date with tetanus vaccination and was not offered a booster vaccination. She re-presented 12 days later with features consistent with tetanus infection and was treated with tetanus immunoglobulin and metronidazole with clinical improvement. Snakebites remain a risk for tetanus infection and the assessment of tetanus risk should be included within clinical guidelines for Australian healthcare settings.