What is sepsis?
Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a serious infectious disease that occurs when the infection spreads from the primary focus due to a violation of the mechanisms of local and general immunity.
Types of sepsis
Obstetric-gynecological sepsis has two periods – intrauterine and postpartum (due to septic diseases of the medical staff or mother). This infection is very dangerous, as it is transmitted through various objects and can enter the body through wounds, inhalation, through the skin or baby food. The suppuration process occurs at the site of infection.
surgical sepsis. Its causes are complications of various surgical purulent diseases or injuries (wounds, burns, etc.).
Otogenic sepsis is dangerous, since it can occur as a complication of purulent otitis media. It often leads to the spread of infection to the lining of the brain, which contributes to the development of meningitis.
Rhinogenic sepsis sometimes associated with complications of purulent diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses.
Urosepsis occurs with inflammation of the genitourinary system (urethritis, cystitis, pyelitis, nephritis, bartholinitis, prostatitis).
Causes of sepsis
The causes of sepsis include suppurative processes of soft tissues, bones, joints and internal organs, as well as a decrease in immunity, massive invasion. If a local purulent focus exists for a long time, sepsis may develop without effective and timely medical care.
Also, sepsis can be provoked by staphylococcus aureus, meningococcus, Escherichia or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, lichen, smallpox or herpes.
Symptoms of sepsis
In children, sepsis may begin to develop due to insufficient body weight, bleeding, or omphalitis. Among the first signs are insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, loss of appetite, fluctuations in body temperature, belching, vomiting, stool disorders, pallor, and increased heart rate. With an increase in the blood of harmful microorganisms, the temperature rises, the general condition of the patient is rapidly deteriorating, the nasolabial region acquires a bluish tint, the heartbeat quickens, the skin loses elasticity, and consciousness is depressed.
Among the general symptoms of sepsis, there is also a significant increase in body temperature (39-40 ° C), the appearance of tachycardia. The patient is chilly and sweats profusely. When the body is intoxicated, a person feels weak, his appetite deteriorates; the liver and spleen may be enlarged.
Sepsis is characterized by multiple organ damage, often developing cardiac, respiratory, renal, and hepatic failure. Bleeding, skin rashes occur due to blood clotting disorders. Examination of the patient shows a sharp increase or a significant decrease in the level of leukocytes in the blood relative to the norm.
[Video] Med Reigns – a visual explanation of how and why sepsis is formed: