How deep of a cut to get tetanus?

[DrG00GLE]

I was recently moving stuff with my dad and while I was moving something rusty, it brushed against my skin. I couldn't tell if it cut my skin at all and whatever it did disappeared in like 30 minutes. Is it still possible to get tetanus? Does the wound have to react for it to be a possibility? Also even if you have the vaccine can you still get tetanus?

[NancyW]

I would imagine you're protected if you got a tetanus shot.

Thinking about it now, I have never known of anyone that actually got tetanus, have you?

[misslove]

If your up to date on your shots your fine. To get tetanus it has to be a perfect storm of conditions. If it's from a nail that's been on a shelf for a long time it's very very very very very slim chance you'd get anything from it. Clean the wound well to get out any debris in it and bandage it up and give it a kiss and you'll be fine. If your still worried call your doc and see if your up to date on shots or if you need a booster. But I promise you'll be fine

[blackbroom]

I can totally sympathise, as I also have terrible tetanus anxiety. But, to put it into perspective, in the UK, which is a country of 60 million people and where the policy is to vaccinate against tetanus far less often than the US, fewer than 10 people develop tetanus a year and almost all of these are either people who were never vaccinated or intravenous users of illegal drugs.

If the nail only brushed against you, it won't have punctured and, if you can't see a wound, it didn't scratch you, either. Tetanus can only develop if the skin is broken and statistically you are more likely to be picked for the US Olympic squad or win the lottery than get tetanus, anyway (compare how many people get skin-puncturing injuries every year to how many people get tetanus).

Check that your shots are up to date and talk to a doctor/nurse if it will help, but you will be fine.