A risk that all allotment holders and gardeners should be aware of is tetanus. The bacteria lives in soil, especially manured soil, and on rusty implements. It enters the body through a small scratch or thorn prick and takes just a few days to take effect. It can be a very serious illness, potentially fatal, although deaths in the UK are rare.
The name comes from the Greek word 'tetanos' meaning taut, and reflects the prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibres that occurs if the infection is not treated quickly. This is where the alternative name of 'lockjaw' comes from. Early symptoms are stiffness of the jaw and neck.
Prevention is by immunisation. Hospitals tend to give patients a tetanus injection whenever they've suffered a puncture wound. The dose immunises for ten years, so if it's some time since your last jab it's worthwhile asking your doctor for an refresher. Unlike measles, merely catching tetanus in the past will not immunise you for the future.
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