epidemiologic study on tetanus neonatorum in Alexandria

ABSTRACT

Tetanus neonatorum is still one of the public health problems in Alexandria despite the availability of maternal and child health services and advocation of the active immunization of pregnant mothers. All cases of Tetanus neonatorum admitted to communicable diseases hospital during the year 1985 were investigated. The study revealed a minimum attack rate of 3.59/1000 live births with a case fatality of 76.2%. Only 10.5% of mothers of cases visited MCH centers but none of them gave a history of immunization against the disease. Almost all of the cases [99.1%] delivered at home by a "Daya" or one of the relatives. In addition the admission records of the past ten years [1975-1984] were investigated