Which vaccination provides protection against tetanus?

• A. Tetanus toxoid vaccine
• B. Meningococcal C vaccine
• C. Hepatitis B vaccine
• D. Varicella vaccine

Answer: (A)

Protection against tetanus comes from vaccination with the tetanus toxoid vaccine. Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, and the vaccine uses an inactivated form of that toxin (a toxoid) to teach the immune system to recognize and neutralize the toxin. This prevents the severe muscle stiffness and spasms that tetanus can cause. In practice, this protection is provided through DTaP or Tdap vaccines, with boosters to maintain immunity over time.

The other vaccines protect against different pathogens: the meningococcal C vaccine targets Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C, the hepatitis B vaccine targets the hepatitis B virus, and the varicella vaccine protects against the varicella-zoster virus. None of those vaccines confer specific protection against the tetanus toxin, which is why the tetanus toxoid vaccine is the correct choice.