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Clostridium tetani, the bacterium causing tetanus, can be found both in the soil and intestinal normal flora. While the majority of the Finnish population has adequate vaccination protection, part of the population exhibits weakened protection. We describe a case in which a patient developed tetanus as a consequence of pressure ulcer. The symptoms extended to the respiratory muscle region, resulting in respiratory insufficiency and cardiac arrest for the patient. The patient, however, recovered after successful resuscitation and extended intensive care as required by tetanus.

Mycoplasmas belong to the smallest micro-organisms that are independent of animal or plant cells. They are classified as bacteria, since their cultivation does not require any cells. Mycoplasma hominis is a commensal of the human urogenital region, but may sometimes cause even life-threatening, slow-healing soft tissue infections. Ureaplasma urealyticum may cause similar infections. It is important both for clinicians and the laboratory to suspect mycoplasma, when clinical picture indicates infection and the infectious agent cannot be shown by ordinary culturing methods.