Qualitative Analysis of the Tetanus Antibody in Korean Army personnel after Visiting a Tertiary Armed Forces Hospital

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: In the Korean armed forces, vaccination against tetanus is done when personnel join the military service, but we do not know how many military personnel are vaccinated and how many soldiers have protection against tetanus. We performed a qualitative analysis of the tetanus antibody in Korean military personnel by using the TQS (Tetanus Quick Stick) METHODS: This study used a prospective collection method for military personnel visiting to the emergency department of a tertiary armed forces hospital from July 2005 to January 2007. We performed an analysis by using the TQS and asked whether the personnel had been inoculated during military service. RESULTS: The number of enrolled military personnel was 474. Among them, 412 had been vaccinated against tetanus after entering the military service. The positive rate of TQS was 91.3% (373 patients) after vaccination for tetanus. CONCLUSION: Many military personnel were inoculated with tetanus toxoid during military service and have protective antibodies for tetanus. According as TQS should be used for military personnel who visit the emergency department of an armed forces hospital. Also, anti-tetanus immunoglobulin should not normally be used a positive TQS for tetanus prophylaxis.