Septicemia
Alternate Names : Bacteremia with Sepsis, Blood Poisoning
Definition Septicemia is the presence of bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) and is often associated with severe disease.
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Septicemia is a serious, rapidly progressing, life-threatening infection that can arise from infections throughout the body, including infections in the lungs, abdomen, and urinary tract. It may precede or coincide with infections of the bone (osteomyelitis), central nervous system (meningitis), or other tissues.
Septicemia can rapidly lead to septic shock and death. Septicemia associated with some organisms such as meningococci can lead to shock, adrenal collapse, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, a condition called Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome.
Septicemia can begin with spiking fevers and chills, rapid breathing and heart rate, the outward appearance of being seriously ill (toxic) and a feeling of impending doom. These symptoms rapidly progress to shock with decreased body temperature (hypothermia), falling blood pressure, confusion or other changes in mental status, and blood-clotting abnormalities evidenced by hemorrhagic lesions in the skin (petechiae and ecchymosis).
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