J Korean Soc Traumatol.  2007 Dec;20(2):65-71.

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

• Kim CK
• Shin JH

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.

Keyword

Tetanus; Military personnel; Tetanus toxoid

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Arm*
Emergency Service, Hospital
Humans
Immunoglobulins
Military Personnel*
Prospective Studies
Tetanus Toxoid
Tetanus*
Vaccination
Antibodies
Immunoglobulins
Tetanus Toxoid