New research shows that the commonly available tetanus vaccine can help prevent or treat tremors (Parkinson’s disease).
Although it is not known how the tetanus bacteria attack disease cells, researchers believe that it can enter the brain through nasal nerve cells.
Researchers looked at a large registry of older people to see if the risk of tremors increased or decreased with each type of injection.
Researchers studied 1,500 people between the ages of 45 and 75 diagnosed with tremors and compared them with a five-fold larger control group who did not have the condition but had similar characteristics.
They found that 1.6% of shock patients had received a tetanus vaccine before diagnosis, compared with 3.2% in the healthy group.
Those who had recently received the vaccine showed a greater protective effect against the disease, and were not diagnosed with Parkinson’s within two years.
Dr. Ariel Israel said that the shorter the time since vaccination, the lower the chance of diagnosis.
It is noted that the elderly are more likely to receive the tetanus vaccine because surfaces such as floors or sidewalks can harbor Clostridium tetani, the bacteria that causes tetanus.
