The rash then moves to the forearms, hands and feet. Teenagers and adults may have painful or swollen joints. The bacteria that cause tetanus are widely distributed in soil and are found in the waste of many animals. People who get tetanus suffer from stiffness and spasms of the muscles. Long coughing spells make it difficult for a person to eat, drink or even breathe.
Vomiting can also follow a long coughing spell.
The disease is most serious in small infants. With older children and adults the disease can be quite mild or can cause several weeks of exhausting coughing. Whooping cough is transmitted through the air when an infected person coughs. Texas Department of Health, Immunization Division. All Rights Reserved.