When active, the bacteria that cause tetanus can only survive in conditions completely lacking in oxygen, but they can form very tough spores that can survive oxygen, heat, drying, whatever.
In this case report, a woman had some surgery on her uterus and showed some signs of tetanus paralysis afterward; the doctors treated her with anti-tetanus serum and she recovered.
Ten years later, she needed more surgery in the same place. The doctors feared a tetanus recurrence so they gave her anti-serum prophylactically, and tried isolating bacteria from the scar tissue they removed from her body. They successfully grew some typical Clostridium tetani, which produced tetanus toxin capable of killing mice. I don't know how they tried to avoid contamination though.
They tested the patient's serum to see if there were any sign of immunity against the tetanus that seemingly had been in her body for ten years, aside from the immunity from the anti-serum they had given. But they didn't find any indication of immunity.
They cite other reports of tetanus remaining dormant in the body for long periods, even up to 14 years, and advise that surgeons treat for tetanus prophylactically when a patient has had tetanus before. Bacteria can be pretty tough.
Reference:
In this case report, a woman had some surgery on her uterus and showed some signs of tetanus paralysis afterward; the doctors treated her with anti-tetanus serum and she recovered.
Ten years later, she needed more surgery in the same place. The doctors feared a tetanus recurrence so they gave her anti-serum prophylactically, and tried isolating bacteria from the scar tissue they removed from her body. They successfully grew some typical Clostridium tetani, which produced tetanus toxin capable of killing mice. I don't know how they tried to avoid contamination though.
They tested the patient's serum to see if there were any sign of immunity against the tetanus that seemingly had been in her body for ten years, aside from the immunity from the anti-serum they had given. But they didn't find any indication of immunity.
They cite other reports of tetanus remaining dormant in the body for long periods, even up to 14 years, and advise that surgeons treat for tetanus prophylactically when a patient has had tetanus before. Bacteria can be pretty tough.
Reference:
Bonney, V., Box, C. & MacLennan, J. Tetanus Bacillus Recovered from Scar Ten Years after Attack. BMJ 2, 10–11 (1938).
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