Should I get a tetanus shot?

Question

My friend was opening a bottle of chardonnay and he didn't realize that this particular Aussie brand isn't corked. So when he stuck the wine opener in about 3/4 of a inch went into the wine. Now, at the time, I didn't realize that he was using an old wine opener that was rusty in the cork-s***w area and I drank the wine with him. Anyways, when we had finished the bottle I noticed that the wine opener was rusty and asked him if it went into the wine. He said it did but he didn't think about it.

Anyways, my question is, should I get a tetanus shot or would the alochol in the chardonnay (14%) have killed the bacteria?

Answer 1

im pretty sure you only need a tetanus shot if you get cut by rusty metal. i never heard of intaking rust causing tetanus. but im not too sure you should ask a doctor

Answer 2

first of all rust only harms you if it gets into your blood stream, and that depends how much rust got into the bottle if it was all killed off. So if it didnt get into your blood stream you should be fine, but if you feel weird about it, than it wont hurt to make an appointment.

Answer 3

You will be fine. Have you already had a tetanus shot, if not you shot have one as a part of your immunizaitons, you get one and then you need to get a booster every five years, or by now it's 10 years,  I just had a booster and I can not remember when the nurse told me to get another.

Anyway to answer the question, no you will not get tetanus from bottle of wine and you should be fine, yes get a baseline tetanus shot and continue to follow-up as you need to. I hope that helped you.

Answer 4

Tetanus can be found all over the place not just on rusty objects. I think you will be completely fine, it only infects you through cuts anyway.

Answer 5

When was your last tetanus shot?  Usually they give them to you every 10 years.  Because I had to get a special physical a couple of years ago I had to get one even though I got one only four years prior so you probaby can have them every couple of years.  My husband jokes that if you can't remember the last time you had one, you probably need one.

I just realized I misread your question.  If you drank a touch of rust, you don't need a tetanus shot, it's only if you scratch or cut yourself or do something like step on a rusty nail (been there and done it).  No, you don't need one for this, but it's a good idea to get one anyway just in case for the future.

Silly me, didn't read your question properly. :-)

Answer 6

you do not get tetanus by drinking stuff.

Answer 7

Well, there may be a small chance.. however i think the chance is minimal..

But then again, maybe you should get it checked, just in case. Coz Tetanus is really bad.

Answer 8

you should get a teatnus shot every 10 years regardless if you think you need one or not.  I'm not sure that your risk on this particular occasion is high but I'd say not.  I believe that it isn't the rust that causes the teatnus...it is the fact that whatever rusted was probably laying on the ground for a while and possibly contains the teatnus bacteria.  if that makes any sense.  I'd say get the shot. Not because this happens but because of what could happen in the future.  Some risks just aren't worth taking.  1 shot every 10 years= not a big deal  :)

Answer 9

You should have a tetanus shot updated every ten years.  But I don't think you have to worry about that little bit you drank.  

Answer 10

To be on the safe side, I would get a tetanus shot if I were you.

Answer 11

Rusty wine openers generally do not contain tetanus spores, unless they are stored in manure-rich soil.  ;-)  Rust has nothing to do with tetanus. The classic "rusty nail" is thought to be a potential risk because old, rusty nails are more likely to be dirty and have contact with manure and soil.

Tetanus spores grow in anaerobic (no oxygen) puncture wounds, when there is no bleeding.  People do not get tetanus from swallowing rust.

There are 20-100 cases of tetanus in the United States per year.  

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkboo...

Only 10% of the people die.  Yes, 10% is a lot, but it's a lot less than 100%, which is what most people assume.

20-100 cases per year in the entire United States seems like a very small number, considering the amount of worry everyone seems to have regarding this disease.  Also, heroin users and old people are at a much higher risk.  You don't sound like you fit into either category.

The tetanus vaccine is far from risk-free.  Check out http://www.medalerts.org, which enables you to search the VAERS database (the government's Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting System).  Type in TDAP, which is the vaccine you'd be given if you went to the doctor and asked for a tetanus shot.