Tetanus - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2021

In 2021, 50 tetanus cases were reported in the EU/EEA, 10 of which were confirmed cases. The number of cases reported in 2021 was higher than that reported in 2020 (32 cases), but lower than the numbers reported in 2019 and 2018 (73 and 92 respectively). The use of the EU case definition for reporting was quite varied, with four countries using a different case definition for reporting; most often this definition corresponds to the national case definitions. Adults aged 65 years and above were the most affected age group, with women accounting for most cases. The current epidemiology in the EU/EEA may be explained by lower vaccination coverage or waning immunity in older populations. The average estimated vaccination coverage of DTP3 among one-year-olds in the EU/EEA remained high throughout the period 2017−2021 (2021: 94%, range 86−99%). Due to the severity of tetanus, there is a need to maintain high vaccination rates in all age groups and to continue developing and implementing strategies to protect specific groups, particularly the elderly, in countries with higher rates of disease.