Can you get tetanus from drinking rusty water? What about if the water is boiled first?
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Penal Colony
ANSWERS: 1
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The association with rust for tetanus is kind of a misconception. In places where people aren't immunized against it, the major cause is water contaminated by animal fecal matter, like cattle, rats and pigs and the like, in which the virus forms itself. Washing yourself with this water can contract the virus, especially if you have deep cuts or wounds, which is how the virus travels. Say you step on a nail and get tetanus, think about where the nail was. On a farm somewhere? But no, drinking rusty water won't cause tetanus. The tetanus virus is resistant to metal, it can easily reside on it for the longest time until this metal matter comes in contact with a host. But, in order for it to be there, you need a place that's rich with organic matter. Drinking I don't think has anything to do with it, and stepping on a nail in the middle of the city probably won't do anything. There IS some relation with water and rust for tetanus, I think the way the virus has of traveling, but I'm not entirely sure. Still, I wouldn't recommend drinking rusty water...it may not cause that particular disease but, who knows WHAT it can do. :/
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