What is sepsis?

Question

How can one acquire sepsis?

Answer 1

Sepsis is a serious medical condition, resulting from the immune response to a severe infection. Septicemia is sepsis of the bloodstream caused by bacteremia, which is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream. The term septicemia is also used to refer to sepsis in general.

Answer 2

Sepsis is a term for severe infection that is present in the blood and spreads throughout the body. Sepsis can develop following infection by microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Infection in babies can be contracted during pregnancy, from the mother's genital tract during labor and delivery, or after birth from contact with others.

Answer 3

Sepsis is when you have an infection, like a bladder infection. And it gets so bad the infection goes into your blood stream. So now you have bacteria in your blood. This can be very bad and usually ends up in hospitalization.

Answer 4

Basically its a bacterial infection that if uncontrolled can lead to death. There a numerous definitions but all are pretty much summed up by that sentence.

One definition:

sepsis (sěp'sĭs) Pronunciation Key
A severe infection caused by pathogenic organisms, especially bacteria, in the blood or tissues. If untreated, a localized infection, as in the respiratory or urinary tracts, can lead to infection in the bloodstream and widespread inflammation, characterized initially by fever, chills, and other symptoms and later by septic shock.

Others can be found in the link below.

-dh

Answer 5

Sepsis is a severe illness caused by overwhelming infection of the bloodstream by toxin-producing bacteria.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Sepsis is caused by bacterial infection that can originate anywhere in the body. Common sites include the following:

* The kidneys (upper urinary tract infection)
* The liver or the gall bladder
* The bowel (usually seen with peritonitis)
* The skin (cellulitis)
* The lungs (bacterial pneumonia)

Meningitis may also be accompanied by sepsis. In children, sepsis may accompany infection of the bone (osteomyelitis). In hospitalized patients, common sites of infection include intravenous lines, surgical wounds, surgical drains, and sites of skin breakdown known as decubitus ulcers or bedsores.

The infection is often confirmed by a positive blood culture, though blood cultures may be negative in individuals who have been receiving antibiotics. In sepsis, blood pressure drops, resulting in shock. Major organs and systems, including the kidneys, liver, lungs, and central nervous system, stop functioning normally.

A change in mental status and hyperventilation may be the earliest signs of impending sepsis.

Sepsis is often life-threatening, especially in people with a weakened immune system or other medical illnesses.

Symptoms Return to top

* Fever or hypothermia (low body temperature)
* Hyperventilation
* Chills
* Shaking
* Warm skin
* Skin rash
* Rapid heart beat
* Confusion or delirium
* Decreased urine output

Signs and tests Return to top

* White blood cell count that is low or high
* Platelet count that is low
* Blood culture that is positive for bacteria
* Blood gases that reveal acidosis
* Kidney function tests that are abnormal (early in the course of disease)

This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

* Peripheral smear may demonstrate a low platelet count and destruction of red blood cells.
* Fibrin degradation products are often elevated, a condition that may be associated with a tendency to bleed.
* Blood differential -- with immature white blood cells seen

Treatment Return to top

Septic patients usually require monitoring in an intensive care unit (ICU). "Broad spectrum" intravenous antibiotic therapy should be initiated as soon as sepsis is suspected.

The number of antibiotics administered may be decreased when the results of blood cultures become available and the causative organism is identified. The source of the infection should be discovered, if possible, which may mean further diagnostic testing. Sources such as infected intravenous lines or surgical drains should be removed, and sources such as abscesses should be surgically drained.

Supportive therapy with oxygen, intravenous fluids, and medications that increase blood pressure may be required for a good outcome. Dialysis may be necessary in the event of kidney failure, and mechanical ventilation is often required if respiratory failure occurs.

Answer 6

To get a proper definition try going to WEBMD.com and get your own understanding of what sepsis is, what causes it, and what it causes. be smart don't be lazy you are on the Internet and will not take the initiative to look it up yourself.

Answer 7

a medical issue that happens when the immune system responds to an infection..best thisn is look it uo on webmd,can give more info and such

Answer 8

It is a blood infection that goes throughout your body. You can get it by not getting anything that is infected and not getting it treated.

Answer 9

Exactly what mrjohn said. Couldn't have explained it better myself.

Answer 10

dirty, contaminated, infected