On 2014 Nov 25, Harri Hemila commented:

Khan AA, 2013 reviewed potential interventions against neonatal tetanus. Vitamin C might also be included as a potential intervention worth further study.

According to WHO 2005, p. 27, Somalia has had particularly high rate of neonatal tetanus; 16.5 neonatal tetanus deaths per 1000 live births in 1999. The prevalence of vitamin C deficiency has also been particularly high in Somalia, WHO 1999, Table 2. The two conditions might have associations.

In dozens of animal studies, vitamin C increased resistance against diverse infections and purified bacterial toxins Hemilä, 2006. In particular, Dey PK, 1966 reported that five rats administered twice the minimal lethal dose of tetanus toxin all died, whereas 25 rats administered vitamin C either before or after the toxin all lived. CHAKRABARTI B, 1955 reported that tetanus patients had lower plasma vitamin C levels than healthy people, and tetanus patients who died had lower levels than those who survived. Furthermore, tetanus patients had elevated levels of dehydroascorbate, which is the oxidized form of vitamin C. Such changes in vitamin C metabolism suggest that it might be involved in the pathogenesis of tetanus.

One single controlled trial has examined the effect of vitamin C in the treatment of tetanus; the trial was undertaken in Bangladesh by Jahan K, 1984. Vitamin C at a dosage of 1 g/day was administered intravenously alongside conventional treatment. In tetanus patients aged 1 to 12 years, vitamin C treatment was associated with a 100% reduction in case fatality rate (95% CI from -100% to -94%): 74% (23/31) of the control children died but none in the vitamin C group (0/31). Although the Jahan trial has methodological shortcomings, the findings should not be ignored Hemilä H, 2013. Evidently the possible effects of vitamin C on neonatal tetanus patients should be studied.

On 2014 Nov 25, Harri Hemila commented:

Khan AA, 2013 reviewed potential interventions against neonatal tetanus. Vitamin C might also be included as a potential intervention worth further study.

According to WHO 2005, p. 27, Somalia has had particularly high rate of neonatal tetanus; 16.5 neonatal tetanus deaths per 1000 live births in 1999. The prevalence of vitamin C deficiency has also been particularly high in Somalia, WHO 1999, Table 2. The two conditions might have associations.

In dozens of animal studies, vitamin C increased resistance against diverse infections and purified bacterial toxins Hemilä, 2006. In particular, Dey PK, 1966 reported that five rats administered twice the minimal lethal dose of tetanus toxin all died, whereas 25 rats administered vitamin C either before or after the toxin all lived. CHAKRABARTI B, 1955 reported that tetanus patients had lower plasma vitamin C levels than healthy people, and tetanus patients who died had lower levels than those who survived. Furthermore, tetanus patients had elevated levels of dehydroascorbate, which is the oxidized form of vitamin C. Such changes in vitamin C metabolism suggest that it might be involved in the pathogenesis of tetanus.

One single controlled trial has examined the effect of vitamin C in the treatment of tetanus; the trial was undertaken in Bangladesh by Jahan K, 1984. Vitamin C at a dosage of 1 g/day was administered intravenously alongside conventional treatment. In tetanus patients aged 1 to 12 years, vitamin C treatment was associated with a 100% reduction in case fatality rate (95% CI from -100% to -94%): 74% (23/31) of the control children died but none in the vitamin C group (0/31). Although the Jahan trial has methodological shortcomings, the findings should not be ignored Hemilä H, 2013. Evidently the possible effects of vitamin C on neonatal tetanus patients should be studied.