Life-threatening cut

There is a lot to do in the fields during the rice harvest, so every helping hand is welcome. Sea Soksopheath marched side by side with his parents through the rows of plants and harvested the ripe rice stalks in bundles with a sickle. The 10-year-old cut himself in the process.

The boy got worse and worse over the following days. The wound hurt, he developed a headache and his muscles began to stiffen. The cramps increased, followed by shortness of breath and fever - the parents took their son to our hospital in Phnom Penh.

Our team diagnosed Tetanus. This is a life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. Its resistant spores can be found almost everywhere, even in road dust or soil. If the spores enter the body through a wound and germinate, an infection develops. The bacterium multiplies and secretes toxins.

In unvaccinated children, the infection is often severe and requires intensive medical treatment. Sea Soksopheath has been in hospital for a month, is being ventilated and is receiving antibiotics. It takes patience and time, but his chances of recovery are good.