**6. Severity grading/prognosis**

The Ablett classification of severity is the most commonly used grading system. It grades tetanus infection from mild (Grade I) to very severe (Grade IV) [6]. Prognosis


### **Table 1.** *Ablett classification of severity.*


## **Table 2.**

*Prognostic scoring systems in tetanus: Dakar score.*


## **Table 3.**

*Total score, severity and disease prognosis.*



## **Table 4.**

*Prognostic scoring systems in tetanus: Phillips score*

is assessed using the Phillips score and the Dakar score. Both these scoring systems are relatively straightforward schemes which take into account the incubation period and the period of onset as well as presence of neurological and cardiac manifestations. The Phillips score also factors in the state of immune protection (**Tables 1**–**4**).
