Why is it common to get tetanus from a rusty nail when rust is a sign of oxidation?

Rust comes when iron oxidizes from the presence of air. Tetanus is anerobic bacteria. So why do people say you can get it from rusty stuff (other than the puncturing of the skin part)?

Tetanus is often associated with rust, especially rusty nails, but this is somewhat misleading. Rust itself does not cause tetanus or contain more C. tetani bacteria. Objects that accumulate rust are often found in the outdoors or places that generally contain more bacteria. Since C. tetani is an anaerobic bacterium, it will thrive in an environment that lacks oxygen. Therefore, stepping on an old forgotten nail in a stable could easily result in tetanus, partly because C. tetani is found in animal feces (which is rather abundant in a stable) and the puncture wound would effectively create an ideal breeding ground for the bacteria (because of the lack of oxygen). Such an old nail would likely be rusty, but a lack of rust would provide no protection. On the other hand, someone scratching themselves against a rusty fire escape ladder in an urban setting would have a much lesser chance of getting tetanus since fire escape ladders do not often come into intimate contact with soil, dirt or organic waste and the wound itself (eg a scratch) does not create an oxygen-poor environment.

PINUP 2012 CALENDAR by RUSTY RUST autographed upon request NEW $19.98

Cobra Trusty Rusty Wedge Rust Finish 51 Degrees $89.99

Disney Pixar Cars Movie Moments Rusty Rust-Eze & Dusty Rust -Eze $24.95

2012 NEW COBRA BIG TRUSTY RUSTY RUST CC 50* WEDGE DARK STEEL SHAFT $98.99

D. L. RUSTY RUST, MOONLIGHT RETREAT PLATE 1992 $25.00

2012 BRAND NEW COBRA TRUSTY RUSTY RUST CC 49* WEDGE DG S200 DARK STEEL SHAFT $98.99

2012 BRAND NEW COBRA TRUSTY RUSTY RUST CC 57* WEDGE DG S200 DARK STEEL SHAFT $98.99

2012 BRAND NEW COBRA TRUSTY RUSTY RUST CC 61* WEDGE DG S200 DARK STEEL SHAFT $98.99

23 Pinup Postcards Earl Moran Rusty Rust Leo Nowak $49.99

Vintage Primitive Rusty “NO RUST BOTTOM” Metal Flour Sifter $18.04

D L Rusty Rust Two By The Night, Two By The Light $179.00

A Hidden World Plate #3 D.L.”Rusty” Rust Bobcat Plate $14.99

Hideaway Lake “Echoes of Morning ” Rusty Rust Plate 4 $14.99

DISNEY PIXAR CARS MOVIE MOMENTS RUSTY RUST-EZE & DUSTY RUST-EZE $19.99

2 ~ 4″ Inch DI Rusty Rust SUMMER/AUTUMN Saucers $7.99

Uttermost Rusty Branch Distressed Brown Rust Finish $160.60

Uttermost Big Rusty Statue Distressed Rust Brown $433.40

ANN TAYLOR LADIES SIZE Large Rust Rusty copper LEATHER Suede JACKET Career Coat $19.99

Rusty Rust Orginal Painting – Nude in boat $1,499.99

Rust /Rusty Metal Pickguard for Fender American Precision Bass $49.99

D.L. “Rusty” Rust Wings of Winter RED CARDINAL Plate $15.40

Rust D Rusty Lilly-poster AP PN $85.00

Rust D Rusty Discovery 1942 Quincentennial $75.00

Rust D Rusty Columbus The Explorer so $175.00

Rusty / Rust Metal Pickguard fits Deluxe Jazz Bass $44.99

DISNEY CARS MOVIE MOMENTS 2PACK DUSTY & RUSTY RUST-EZE $19.99

Fishing/Wolf Jigsaw Puzzle 1000 pc SunsOut Artist Rusty Rust THE CATCH NIB $24.99

Castle Fantasy Jigsaw Puzzle 1500 pc SunsOut Artist Rusty Rust KNIGHT DREAMS NIB $32.99

Black & Tan / Rust Pip Berry Stems w/ Rusty STARS $5.50

I HATE RUSTY TOOLS! NO RUST SHIELD GREAT INVENTION !!!!! LQQK $2.99

2012 BRAND NEW COBRA TRUSTY RUSTY RUST CC 51* WEDGE DG S200 DARK STEEL SHAFT $98.99

2012 NEW COBRA BIG TRUSTY RUSTY RUST CC 55* WEDGE DARK STEEL SHAFT $98.99

D L Rusty Rust ” Ghosts of the Glacier” Print COA 23 x 14″ Whales & Seagulls $69.99

DISNEY PIXAR CARS MOVIE MOMENTS RUSTY & DUSTY RUST-EZE $24.00

Disney Pixar Cars DUSTY RUST-EZE, RUSTY RUST-EZE & RETRO RAMONE Story Tellers $24.95

DISNEY CARS RUSTY & DUSTY RUST-EZE MOVIE MOMENTS NIP $29.44

Lighted 40″ Pip Berry Garland Rusty STARS – Black, rust $14.95

Knight Dream by D.L. Rusty Rust 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle $14.99

Disney Pixar Cars 1 Diecast Rusty Rust-eze 2006 $0.99

Framed Wall Art Ltd Ed Photography Rust Rusty Iron Door Orange Black White Print $61.60

40″ Black, Rust, Orange Pip Berry Garland + Rusty STARS $11.95

Primitive Barn Star Ornament Ornie Set/3 Rust Rusty Black 8″ Stars $11.95

100% Pure Silk Brocade Fabric Flaming Rust & Rusty Red $19.00

W L George Collector Plate “Twilight Serenade” by D L “Rusty” Rust 8 1/2″ $1.99

Antique Rusty Skeleton Key 3 1/2″x1″ Beautiful, Used, Heavy Rust Sheen Patina $9.99

TWILIGHT SERENADE By D.L.”RUSTY’ RUST Birds Plate WINGS OF WINTER Collection MIB $24.99

SILENT SUNSET By D.L.”RUSTY’ RUST Birds Plate WINGS OF WINTER Collection MIB $24.99

NIGHT LIGHTS By D.L.”RUSTY’ RUST Birds Plate WINGS OF WINTER Collection MIB $24.99

FULL MOON By D.L.”RUSTY’ RUST Birds Plate WINGS OF WINTER Collection MIB $24.99

WINTER REFLECTION By D.L.”RUSTY’ RUST Birds Plate WINGS OF WINTER Collection MIB $24.99

*Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD RUSTY HINGE Rust Ranger $4.95

4 COMPLETE Plates FAMILY CIRCLES Collection By D.L. “RUSTY” Rust Owl Bird M/C $101.99

100%Pure Silk Brocade Fabric Flaming Rust & Rusty Red 44″ $19.00

Pinup Harem by Don Rusty Rust Rare Image $6.99

“1888″ Cast Iron Rust Rusty Gate Pull 12 Available ♥We Combine ♥ $5.69

WMF Profi Plus Stainless Steel Can Opener $22.50 This can opener is just one of the high-quality Profi Plus tools WMF makes for every conceivable kitchen task. Capable of slitting the tops off cans, prying the lids off jars, and popping the tops off bottles, the opener is heavy, sturdy, and comfortable in the hand. It’s contemporary European in style, measures 9 inches long and has a heavy-duty hanging loop on the end of each handle. The op…

Cast Iron Kettle Humidifier $19.97 Charming Cast Iron Kettle Humidifier steams away dry air. SAVE BIG! Click image to enlarge… This is the way Grandma used to do it. She’d fill a cast iron kettle with water, set it on the stove and let it steam. Worked wonders for dry skin in the wintertime. If Grandpa was feeling stuffy she’d throw in a eucalyptus leaf or two. This Kettle looks a lot like Granny’s… heavy-duty cast iron constru…

Mirro Foley 2-Quart Stainless Steel Food Mill $23.68 T-Fal/Wearever 2 Qt. Food MillStainless steel construction. Great for canning applesauce and mashing potatoes. Mashes, rices, and strains. Ideal for natural and healthy food preparation….

Rust Never Sleeps $4.63 Young has recorded many live albums, but none capture his two dominant musical personalities with as much power as 1979′s Rust Never Sleeps. The acoustic side opens with “My, My, Hey, Hey (Out of the Blue),” a devastating anthem about the state of rock & roll. Comparing the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten to the late Elvis Presley, Young delivers perhaps his most famous line: “It’s better to burn out t…

Unchained $10.25 The first four songs on Unchained come from the songbooks of Beck, Don Gibson, Soundgarden, and Jimmie Rodgers. What might look like absurdly unsupportable eclecticism in other artists, of course, is pretty much standard stuff for Cash. Unchained is hardly standard, though; it’s more like the best album he’s made since his 1984 departure from Columbia Records. Not only is this a stack of songs per…

Rust N’ Roll $8.47 …

WD-40 10032 Multi-Use Product Spray with Smart Straw, 12 Oz. $4.00 Known as the “can with a thousand uses,” WD-40 is an all-purpose lubricant that helps you fight rust and corrosion. This 12-ounce can features a brand-new design with a permanently attached straw–so you won’t have to worry about losing the little red straw ever again! Using WD-40, you’ll be able to eliminate rust, penetrate hard-to-reach areas, dissolve adhesives, silence squeaky hinges, and more…