A 17-year-old is in critical condition in an intensive care unit at a hospital in Catalonia, Spain, due to tetanus, according to reports confirmed by the Department of Salut on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
The teenager, who reportedly had not been vaccinated due to his family’s objections to immunization, contracted the illness after a fall that required hospital treatment for a fracture and several wounds. He was initially recovering at home when he began to experience neurological symptoms characteristic of tetanus, a serious bacterial infection.
Tetanus is an infectious disease caused by bacteria commonly found in soil, animal waste, and garbage, though it can be spread by wind, according to the Generalitat de Catalunya’s Canal Salut. The disease can have devastating consequences, highlighting the importance of preventative measures.
Symptoms of tetanus include fever, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, drooling, and loss of bowel control.
Health officials emphasize that tetanus is preventable through vaccination. The antitetanus vaccine is highly effective and administered in three doses at two, four, and eleven months of age, followed by booster doses at six and eleven or twelve years.
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