Septicemia

Septicemia in medical terms means blood poisoning. The disease occurs due to pathogenic microorganisms entering the bloodstream. The spread of microbes can begin from any source of inflammation - a wound on the skin, infectious lesions of organs or tissues. Small children are most susceptible to septicemia, since their immune system is in the process of formation and an infection from an organ can easily penetrate into the bloodstream.

With septicemia, the patient is bothered by high temperature, fever, delirium, respiratory failure, tachycardia. The disease is characterized by rapid development, so timely detection and adequate therapy play an important role here.

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Causes of septicemia

The cause of septicemia are pathogenic microbes - in most cases these are bacteria, but the disease can also be caused by fungi, viruses and other opportunistic microorganisms.

Microbes can enter the body through the mouth, open wounds on the body, various foci of inflammation (for example, with sinusitis, otitis, kidney inflammation, etc.). In most cases, the immune system copes with pathogenic microorganisms, but when a large number of bacteria enter the bloodstream at once (which often happens in advanced stages of sinusitis, otitis, cystitis, etc.), the immune system is unable to resist and blood poisoning begins with all the ensuing consequences.

Septicemia is often a severe complication of infectious diseases.

Along with bacteria, the products of their vital activity enter the bloodstream - toxic substances, which, in fact, cause damage to tissues, organs, toxic shock, disruption of the body's systems, which ultimately can lead to the death of the patient.

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Symptoms of septicemia

As already mentioned, this condition is characterized by rapid development, so recognizing the first signs of the disease will help to begin timely treatment and thereby save a person’s life.

The onset of the disease is characterized by typical cold symptoms - general weakness, fever, refusal to eat, chills. Over time, diarrhea or vomiting may appear, characteristic of an intestinal infection.

Then rapid breathing and tachycardia appear.

The condition with septicemia quickly worsens, toxins in the blood damage blood vessels, which leads to subcutaneous hemorrhages, which appear as rashes on the skin. At first, the rash looks like small dots, but rather quickly large blue areas form on the skin. The disease progresses rapidly and in some cases the rash changes its character right before your eyes.

In cases of severe intoxication, delirious states and loss of consciousness occur.

Septicopyemia is a form of blood poisoning, characterized by the appearance of abscesses on various organs and tissues of the body. The disease manifests itself moderately and proceeds without pronounced symptoms. The main cause of septicopyemia is Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

A number of specialists consider the disease to be the second stage of septicemia. However, the development of septicopyemia largely depends on the state of the immune system and the body's ability to resist pathogenic microbes, so this condition does not always end with the appearance of secondary purulent formations.

Bacterial septicemia or bacterial endocarditis is a special form of blood poisoning characterized by abscesses on the heart valves and an increased reaction of the body to intoxication.

Most often, the cause of this form of the disease is enterococci and staphylococci (white, green, golden), less often - proteus, klebsiella, pseudomonas and E. coli.

Bacteria release toxins into the bloodstream, and in response, the immune system produces antibodies, which can cause an increased reaction in the body.

There are several forms of this disease: acute, subacute, chronic.

The disease usually affects the aortic valves, less often the mitral valve is affected, and septic changes in both valves at the same time are also possible.

In addition, damage to internal organs and systems is observed - enlargement of the spleen, damage to blood vessels, kidneys, joints, etc.

Characteristic symptoms include hemorrhages in the lower eyelid, under the skin, the appearance of nodules on the palms, necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue, thickening of the phalanges of the fingers (clubbing symptom).

The causative agent of diplococcal septicemia is diplococcus. Blood poisoning is accompanied by inflammatory processes in the lungs, joints, and intestines.

There are several types of diplococci: gonococci, meningococci, pneumococci, and extracellular diplococci.

This form of the disease develops extremely rarely in humans, usually small and large cattle (lambs, calves), horses, piglets are susceptible to the disease. Mortality as a result of diplococcal septicemia is up to 70%.

Streptococci are the most common pathogens of infectious diseases in humans. Streptococcal septicemia can be caused by bacteria of different groups - streptococci A, B, D, Streptococcus pneumoniae.

This form of the disease is often a complication of infectious diseases caused by streptococci - tonsillitis, otitis, pneumonia, meningitis, etc.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is a rarer form of blood poisoning in humans. The disease is caused by viruses that enter the bloodstream.

The disease leads to damage to all organs and systems, and hemorrhages under the skin or on the mucous membranes.

Unspecified septicemia is a general term that includes various diseases of unknown etiology – fungal sepsis, staphylococcal bacteremia, toxic-infectious shock.

This diagnosis is made if it is impossible to determine the exact type of microorganisms that caused blood poisoning. Mortality in this case can reach 90%, in some cases there is a rapid development of the disease, when death can occur in a few hours.

Diagnosis of septicemia

The diagnosis is established based on typical signs of blood poisoning, which is confirmed by laboratory tests.

To identify the causative agent of septicemia, blood culture is prescribed. In this case, the analysis should be done several times in a row, since microorganisms have a certain life cycle, and the prescribed treatment can significantly change the number of bacteria in the bloodstream and the composition of the blood.

In addition to blood, the discharge from the site of inflammation is examined, which will also help determine the type of pathogen.

When determining the type of microbes, an analysis is carried out for susceptibility to antibiotics.

Also a standard procedure is a general and biochemical blood and urine test. In addition, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, chest, etc. may be prescribed.

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Treatment of septicemia

Treatment should only take place in a hospital in the intensive care unit or resuscitation department.

Treatment is based on the same principles as therapy for infectious diseases, but the choice of drugs takes into account the patient's condition and the high risk of death.

In case of septicemia, antibiotics are used (the sensitivity of microorganisms is taken into account when choosing), drugs to reduce intoxication (hemosorption, UV irradiation of blood, plasmapheresis, etc.), to increase immunity, and, if necessary, drugs are prescribed to correct disturbed processes in the body.

The patient requires maximum rest and dietary nutrition (patients in serious condition are given nutritional solutions intravenously).

A very important point in treatment is the cleansing of the primary source of infection; antibiotics from different groups are often used for this purpose; in some cases, hormonal therapy is additionally prescribed.

In case of severe intoxication, the patient is given gamma globulin, plasma, and glucose solution intravenously.

If secondary abscesses are detected, urgent surgical treatment is prescribed - opening and cleaning of abscesses, washing of purulent wounds, excision of affected areas.

Prevention of septicemia

Preventive measures primarily consist of timely detection and treatment of any (even the most minor) purulent diseases and caution when treating the skin (applying an antiseptic, ensuring that dirt, dust, etc. do not get into the open wound).

Prognosis of septicemia

Despite the achievements of modern medicine, the mortality rate from blood poisoning remains extremely high – up to 60% of cases.

In addition, after an illness, the risk of disability increases.

Septicemia is a serious condition caused by the penetration of pathogenic microbes into the bloodstream. The disease is often a complication of infectious (usually with the formation of purulent foci) lesions.

The patient's condition with blood poisoning rapidly deteriorates; it can take only a few hours from mild malaise to a state of delirium or loss of consciousness.

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