EPIDEMIOLOGIC ASPECTS OF NEONATAL TETANUS IN DAKAR

Neonatal tetanus is a toxi-infection due to the Nicolaier bacillus, It is a very important public health problem in developing countries; ne onatal tetanus in these countries is the second killer after measles, The authors at the Infectious Diseases Department at Fann Hospital in Dakar conduct a prospective epidemiological study of neonatal tetanus from january 1992 to december 1993, The main epidemiological risk fact ors of neonatal tetanus in Dakar are : birth at home, septic section o f the umbilical cordon, none prenatal consultation and tetanus vaccina tion during pregnancy, The tetanus immunoprophylaxie of pregnant women and all young girls is one of the most important preventive strategy of neonatal tetanus in developing countries.