Blood poisoning (sepsis) is a process of general infection of the body with pathogens from the source of infection through the circulatory system. We will talk about how this condition develops, what consequences it causes and how it is treated, later in the article.
Causes causing sepsis
Various microorganisms can excite the development of sepsis: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and the symptoms of its manifestation will depend on which of them has entered the bloodstream. But the start of the infection process, as a rule, is facilitated by a set of certain circumstances:
- in the body there must be a primary focus of infection associated with the circulatory or lymphatic system;
- pathogen repeatedly penetrates into the blood;
- there is a formed secondary focus of infection, which subsequently supplies pathogens.
And the main reason that provokes blood sepsis, the consequences of which we consider in the article, is a weak immune system or the presence of pathologies that depress it: extensive operations, heavy blood loss,oncological diseases, HIV, blood diseases, etc. Taking immunosuppressive drugs or cytostatics can also play a significant role in this.
How long does sepsis last
One of the features of the described pathology is its ability to fulminate. This type of sepsis, called the most acute in medicine, proceeds rapidly, simultaneously affecting organs and systems. In this case, death occurs within 1-2 days.
In addition to the mentioned clinical course of pathology, there are acute, subacute and recurrent sepsis. They differ from each other in terms of the course of infection (from a month to six months), and the latter type is also a wave-like course, during which exacerbations can be replaced by normal he alth. Particularly long is the chronic course of sepsis, which can last up to a year or even more.
Blood sepsis: symptoms
Signs of blood poisoning, as already mentioned, depend on many reasons: the form of the disease, its course, the location of the source of primary infection and the presence of a secondary one.
But basically, this pathology in all cases is manifested by jumps in body temperature, reaching 39-40 ° C, which are replaced by its normalization. The patient complains of chills, that periods without fever are replaced by a feeling of heat and intense sweating. Also:
- the onset of the disease may be accompanied by a state of excitement, euphoria in the patient, then turning into apathy and lethargy;
- the patient's skin becomes pale,icteric tone;
- heart rate rises to 150 beats per minute, blood pressure drops, shortness of breath appears;
- the skin may develop a rash in the form of bloody blisters or petechial hemorrhages - which is a sign of the development of hemorrhagic syndrome;
- herpes may appear on the lips;
- the sclera of the eyes turn red, and the oral mucosa bleeds.
As you can see, the onset of blood sepsis entails a wide variety of consequences, but the main signs of its appearance are still considered high fever, chills and profuse sweating.
Complications of blood sepsis
Complete intoxication with the results of the vital activity of harmful microorganisms, causing the listed symptoms, during blood poisoning occurs due to the fact that toxic substances are instantly spread throughout all organs and tissues, penetrating into the mucous membranes and even bones and joints. And all this, as a result, leads to the fact that both the disease itself and the consequences accompanying blood sepsis chain the patient to a hospital bed for a long time.
The most severe complication of the disease may be septic shock, which can occur at any time during its course. Equally dangerous are inflammation of the kidneys (paranephritis) or bladder (cystitis), the formation of purulent cavities in various organs (for example, abscesses in the lungs or brain), the development of purulent meningitis, heart failure, or DIC (intravascular coagulation).
Without proper treatment, sepsis can lead to deathexodus.
Disease forms
Treatment of blood sepsis is carried out depending on how the microbes entered the blood and where the primary focus of infection is located. In medicine, several types of pathology are distinguished.
- Percutaneous sepsis. It develops when infected through small skin lesions in the form of scratches or boils.
- Obstetric and gynecological. It affects women after childbirth or abortion.
- Tonsillar. It is the result of a severe course of the disease angina.
- Otogenic. Infection spreads from the ear cavity (for example, as a result of purulent otitis media).
- Odontogenic. The result of infection from the oral cavity in severe inflammation of the gums and teeth.
- Cryptogenic sepsis. In this case, we are talking about an indefinite focus of purulent inflammation.
Diagnosis of blood poisoning
In order to accurately determine how to treat blood sepsis, it is necessary to establish the site of infection and the type of pathogen that has entered the bloodstream.
For this, a blood test is performed, which is taken from different veins, and the sowing of the isolated microorganisms in a nutrient medium. In parallel, their sensitivity to antibiotics is determined.
In severe cases, an express analysis is carried out, during which the genetic material of the pathogen is isolated in the blood, so that after 1.5 hours it is possible to identify 25 species of bacteria or fungi that cause sepsis.
How is the treatmentsepsis
The basic principle of blood poisoning treatment is based on finding and eliminating foci of infection. Their rehabilitation is carried out by wide opening and careful necrectomy. Additionally, the wound is treated with low-frequency ultrasound, antiseptics (Dioxidin, Dimexidine, etc.), surfactants (Chlorhexine), and proteolytic enzymes (Trypsin, Profezim, etc.).
The maximum possible doses of antibiotics are selected for the patient, depending on the identified pathogen, for example, in staphylococcal sepsis, Fuzidin and Refampicin are used. The increase in resistance is stimulated by vitamin therapy and immunostimulating drugs, and aggressive enzymes are suppressed by the introduction of inhibitors "Kontrykal" or "Gordox".
Detoxification is carried out using a large amount of protein agents and intravenous infusions of glucose solution.
To eliminate the manifestations of hypovolemia (decrease in blood volume), preference is given to the preparations "Polidez", "Polyglumasol", etc. in combination with antiplatelet agents Xanthinol nicotinate or Dipyridamole.
One of the methods of treatment is also a blood transfusion for sepsis or blood substitutes ("Polyglukin", "Reogluman", etc.). Laser blood treatment also gives good results, and in severe cases, plasmapheresis and an artificial kidney machine are used.
Sepsis prevention
In order to prevent the consequences of blood sepsis, several rules should be observed, which, although they cannotcompletely insure against the described terrible pathology, but will significantly reduce the possibility of its development.
- All wounds must be treated with antiseptics.
- Purulent foci of inflammation should be subjected to timely surgical intervention.
- Carefully follow the doctor's advice after any injury.
And, of course, to strengthen the immune system - after all, only he is able to prevent the infection from even starting. Stay he althy!
