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Ency. home > Disease > S > Sepsis

Sepsis   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Septic shock; Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)

Definition:

Sepsis is a serious, severe illness caused by infection of the bloodstream. Illness is a result of toxins produced by bacteria, and the body's response to these toxins.

Causes and Risks

Sepsis occurs in 2 of every 100 hospital admissions. It is a result of a bacterial infection that can originate anywhere in the body. Common sites are the kidneys (upper urinary tract infection), the liver or gall bladder, the bowel (usually seen with peritonitis), the skin (cellulitis) and 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 organ 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.

Ency. home > Disease > S > Sepsis

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