Septicemia - what is it? You will receive the answer to this difficult medical question from the materials of this article. We will also tell you about the symptoms of this disease and how it should be treated.
Basic information
Septicemia is the medical term for blood poisoning. As a rule, such a disease occurs as a result of the entry of pathogens into the systemic circulation. At the same time, the spread of microbes can begin from absolutely any source of inflammation (for example, infectious lesions of tissues or organs, wounds on the skin, etc.).
Features of the disease
Septicemia is a blood disorder most commonly affecting young children. What is it connected with? The fact is that the child's immune system is at the stage of formation, so the infection from his organs can quite easily penetrate into the bloodstream.
How does septicemia manifest itself? The symptoms of this disease will be listed below. It should be noted that with septicemia, the patient is concerned not only with high body temperature and fever, but also with respiratory failure, delirium.and tachycardia. Such a disease is characterized by rapid development. In this regard, it is extremely important to recognize it in time and conduct adequate therapy.
Causes of occurrence
Septicemia is a blood disease that occurs, as we have said, due to pathogenic microbes. In most cases, they are ordinary bacteria, but viruses, fungi, and other opportunistic microorganisms can also cause the disease in question.
As a rule, microbes enter the human body through open wounds on the body, mouth and various foci of inflammation (for example, with otitis media, sinusitis, inflammation of the kidneys). Most often, the patient's immune system copes with such pathogenic microorganisms. But in the event that a large number of bacteria immediately enter the bloodstream (for example, with advanced stages of otitis media, sinusitis, cystitis, etc.), then the immune system is not able to resist them, as a result of which infection begins with all the ensuing consequences.
Very often, septicemia, the symptoms and treatment of which are presented below, is a serious complication of infectious diseases. It should also be noted that along with microbes, their metabolic products, that is, toxic substances, enter the bloodstream, which cause toxic shock, damage to organs and tissues, as well as disruption of various systems. As a result, the disease in question can quite easily provoke a fatal outcome.
Septicemia: symptoms in adults
As mentioned above, the disease in question is characterized by a rather rapid development. That is why recognizing the first symptoms of the disease will help the doctor begin timely treatment and save the patient's life.
The onset of such a disease is characterized by the usual signs of a cold (fever, general weakness, chills, refusal to eat). Further, he is joined by vomiting and diarrhea, characteristic of an intestinal infection. The patient also develops tachycardia and rapid breathing.
Other signs
A person's condition with septicemia worsens rather quickly. Toxins that enter the systemic circulation damage the blood vessels, which leads to subcutaneous hemorrhages, which appear as rashes.
At the very beginning of the disease, the rash looks like small dots. After that, they are converted into large blue areas.
With severe intoxication, the patient experiences delusional states, as well as loss of consciousness.
It should be especially noted that the symptoms of this disease can vary greatly, depending on the causes of its occurrence. For example, bacterial septicemia is a form of blood poisoning that is characterized by the appearance of pustules on the heart valves. Also, the cause of the development of this disease can be staphylococci and enterococci. In this case, internal organs and systems are affected (the spleen enlarges, blood vessels, kidneys, joints, etc. suffer).
Characteristic signs of such a disease are hemorrhages under the skin and in the lower eyelid, as well asnecrosis of the subcutaneous tissue, the appearance of nodules on the palms, thickening of the phalanges of the fingers, etc.
How is it diagnosed?
The diagnosis of such a disease is established by the typical symptoms of blood poisoning. Also, the presence of this disease is confirmed by laboratory tests.
To identify the causative agent of septicemia, the patient is prescribed a blood culture. In this case, the analysis must be done several times in a row. This is due to the fact that microorganisms have a certain life cycle, and ongoing therapy can significantly change their number in the blood and bloodstream. When determining the type of bacteria, an analysis is also carried out for their susceptibility to various antibiotics.
It should also be noted that the standard procedure for such a disease is a biochemical and general analysis of blood and urine. An ultrasound of the chest, abdomen, etc. may also be prescribed.
Septicemia: treatment
Treatment of the disease in question should take place only in a hospital, or rather in intensive care or intensive care unit.
The therapy regimen is based on the same principles as the treatment of infectious diseases. However, when choosing medicines, specialists must take into account the patient's condition, as well as the high risk of death.
As a rule, with septicemia, doctors use antibiotics, as well as drugs to reduce intoxication and increase immunity. If required, the patient is prescribed funds that are able to correct disturbed processes inbody.
Features of therapy
With septicemia, the patient needs complete rest and dietary nutrition. An important point in the treatment of this disease is the cleansing of the focus of infection. For this purpose, antibiotics of different groups are used. Sometimes the patient is additionally prescribed hormone therapy.
In case of severe intoxication, gamma globulin, glucose solution, and plasma are administered intravenously to the patient. When abscesses (secondary) are detected, urgent surgical treatment is performed. They are opened and cleaned. Also, purulent wounds are washed, and the affected areas are excised.
