At what point are you considered septic? Is it based on WBC alone?

Question

Is being septic determined based on your WBC alone or other factors. I realize there are other symptoms but can't seem to find the "cut off" point where they say you are "septic".

I mean..you have a WBC of 21,000 (which is high) or you have a WBC of 39,000 and they call this septic...at what point is it called septic??

Answer 1

All the answers that you got in some form or the other is correct but incomplete. Try this website and it will probably answer all your quesions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIRS

Answer 2

You are considered septic when you have bacteremia - or bacteria in your bloodstream. The WBC count is only one indication. WBC counts can be elevated for many conditions. There is no cutoff point. The only true way you can detect bacteremia is to do a blood culture. Blood is drawn into two bottle- aerobic and anaerobic culture bottles. then incubated and checked. The trouble is this takes time for incubation and identifcation of the bacteria - days. If you have the symptoms of being septic, drs will treat you while awaiting the culture results. You cannot afford to take a chance and not treat. Septicemia is serious.

Answer 3

You are considered septic when the bacteria is in your blood and has set up house...meaning they are growing, multiplying in your bloodstream. Your WBC's become elevated because they are detecting an infection. I'm not sure what you mean by "cut off" point. Once you are SEPTIC, all your body organs, and systems are invaded and affected by the bacteria. Your body's responds by increasing your WBC's, to help combat the bacteria, along with antibiotics. It is called septic when the bacteria is growing at a rapid rate in your blood and antibiotics fail to combat the bacteria, and or pathogens. WBC's of 39,000 is some serious infection! Normal 5-10,000.

Answer 4

Bacteriema is the prescence of bacteria in the blood.
Sepcis is an infection in the blood stream, which is usually an indication of a systemic infection.

I'm not sure about a "cut off" though, but i thought i would clear up the meaning of some the words being used here. I would guess its more a case of other factors because your WBC count will be high even if you only have an organ infection.

Answer 5

Sepsis is a massive infection in the blood and while a white count is certainly taken into consideration, sepsis is also diagnosed by positive blood cultures.

Answer 6

Sorry Tweety, wrong again. Consider the C reactive protiens.

Answer 7

another factor is an elevated temp.