small cuts, infections, tetnis

[Greg]

My wife saw a news report that specificaly mentioned that a small scrape against tree bark is an easy way to get a serious infection, and you should make sure your Tetnis shot is up to date (within 10 years). Right now looking at my forarms I have no open cuts, but that is only because I've been wearing long sleves lately, when things heat up I always have scrapes from bark (the price I'm willing to pay to stay cool). Has anyone ever gotten a bad infection from these small bark bites?
Greg

 

[TREETX]

While fly fishing in Colorado I slipped and scraped my leg on a log in the water. There was some force too with a good bruise. A month later, the scab came off and there was a huge hole in my shin rotting. I went to the doc and he said, I haven't seen gang green in ages. He said my choices were to excavate the area and cover with a skin graft or wait a few more weeks and amputate!! The specialist said the same. Skin graft and all, everything is good now.

As far as tetanus goes, it thrives in an anaerobic wound(puncture) therefore scrapes are not a big concern. Doesn't hurt to have a current shot. A few cc's of prevention is worth......

 

[treeman82]

Isn't locust thorns supposed to cause an infection? Maybe it was another species.

 

[NeTree]

I thought tetanus shots were only good for 5 years?? Either way, everyone in our line of work should definately have one.

 

[Jumper]

A innoculation can not hurt, but a lot of the germs that are out there do not respond to tetanus shots. It is often the stupidest little cuts that cause the most problems. Two summers ago I cut the index finger of my left hand with a kitchen knife, bled a little but no big deal. Two nights later I had to go to the emergency room at the hospital for intravenous antibiotics as I had an arm the was red to the elbow and a temp of 101. Ended up having to return four times for treatment .

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I had cellulitis as a young Marine, just out of bootcamp. A callus on my toe cracked...had redline up above mid thigh.

 

[Acer]

Tetanus is a must for me, as I do a lot of work with hawthorn and other thorny species. I always get scratched and punctured, but nothing's gone bad yet. The worst I had was when trying to lever over a pile of blackthorn brash. I slipped and ended up falling onto the pile, and a thorn punctured me just above the knee.. Within half an hour, I couldn't bend my knee, and had to spend the rest of the day hobbling around as if I had a wooden leg. I did eventually recover from that, a few hours later.

I know blackthorn is one of the worst for being punctured with, as they often go septic

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've found that cutting a puncture wound a little with an exacto will keep it from festering and will heal faster. Deeper ones I may work some Neosporin into the wound too.