ABSTRACT
Tetanus is a serious illness that kills about one million people a year globally. This study aimed to i] evaluate immunity against tetanus [by antibodies titres in blood] among health staff and students at the Public Health Faculty, Lebanese University, ii] explore the determinants of the anti-tetanus immunity by a questionnaire and iii] estimate anti-tetanic serum use in the emergency departments of two hospitals [1 private, 1 public] in Tripoli. Most of the participants [76.6%] had anti-tetanus antibody titres >/= 0.1 UI/mL. There was no association between immune status and gender [P = 0.614] but more participants =/< 25 years were immunized than those > 25 years [P < 0.001] and more students were immunized than employees [P = 0.032]. There was an inverse association between anti-tetanus immunity and having visited a physician in the past year [P = 0.009]. In 2011, 1037 people received anti-tetanus immunoglobulins at the hospitals, 73% at the private hospital. Vaccination campaigns targetting adults > 25 years may be warranted to assure good anti-tetanus protection and avoid administration of anti-tetanus immunoglobulins in emergency departments