Blood Sepsis - Consequences and Treatment

Infection of the blood (sepsis) is a process of general infection of the organism by pathogenic microorganisms from the source of infection through the circulatory system. About how this condition develops, what consequences it causes and by what means it is treated, we will discuss later in the article.

Causes of sepsis

Various microorganisms can trigger the development of sepsis: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and the symptoms of its manifestation will depend on which one has got into the blood. But the launch of the infection process is usually 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;
• The pathogen repeatedly penetrates into the blood;
• There is a formed secondary focus of infection, which then supplies pathogens.

And the main reason provoking 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, cancer, HIV, blood diseases, etc. A significant role can play in this and the use of immunosuppressive drugs or cytotoxic drugs.

How long does sepsis take?

One of the features of the described pathology is its ability to lightning flow. This type of sepsis, called acute in medicine, flows violently, in parallel affecting organs and systems. In this case, even after 1-2 days, a fatal outcome occurs.

In addition to the mentioned clinical course of pathology, distinguish acute, subacute and recurrent sepsis. They differ among themselves the timing of the course of infection (from a month to six months), and the latter is also a wavy current, during which exacerbations can be replaced by normal well-being. Especially prolonged 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 causes: 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, the fact that periods without temperature are replaced by a feeling of heat and a strong sweating. Besides:

• The onset of the disease can be accompanied by a state of excitement, euphoria in the patient, then passing into apathy and inhibition;
• The skin of the patient becomes pale, icteric;
• The pulse speeds up to 150 beats per minute, blood pressure drops, dyspnea appears;
• On the skin there may be a rash in the form of bloody vesicles or pinpoint hemorrhages - which is a sign of the development of hemorrhagic syndrome ;
• Lips may have herpes;
• Sclera eyes turn red, and the oral mucosa bleeds.

As you can see, the beginning of sepsis of the blood results in the most diverse, but the main signs of its occurrence are still high fever, the presence of chills and excessive sweating.

Complications of blood sepsis

Complete intoxication by the results of vital activity of harmful microorganisms that causes the listed symptoms, when blood is contaminated, is due to the fact that poisonous substances are instantly spread across all organs and tissues, penetrating into mucous membranes and even bones and joints. And all this as a result leads to the fact that the disease itself, and the accompanying sepsis of blood, consequences for a long time, the patient is chained to a hospital bed.

The most serious complication of the disease may be septic shock, which can occur at any time during its course. No less dangerous inflammation of the kidneys (paranephritis) or bladder (cystitis), the formation of purulent cavities in different organs (for example, abscesses in the lungs or in the brain), the development of purulent meningitis, heart failure or DVS-syndrome (intravascular coagulation).

Without proper treatment, sepsis can lead to death.

Forms of the disease

Treatment of blood sepsis is carried out depending on how the microbes penetrated into the blood and where the primary focus of infection is. In medicine, several types of pathology are distinguished.

1. Percutaneous sepsis. It develops when infected through small lesions of the skin in the form of scratches or boils.
2. Obstetric and gynecological. Women are exposed to him after childbirth or abortion.
3. Tonsillar. It is the result of a severe course of the disease with angina.
4. Otogenous. The infection spreads from the ear cavity (for example, as a result of purulent otitis).
5. Odontogenic. The result of infection from the mouth with severe inflammation of the gums and teeth.
6. Cryptogenic sepsis. In this case we are talking about an undetermined focus of purulent inflammation.

Diagnosis of blood poisoning

In order to determine exactly how to treat sepsis of blood, it is necessary to establish a focus of infection and the type of pathogen that has got into the bloodstream.

To do this, a blood test is performed, which is taken from different veins, and sow selected microorganisms in a nutrient medium. In parallel, their sensitivity to antibiotics is determined.

In severe cases, rapid analysis is performed, during which the genetic material of the pathogen is isolated in the blood, thanks to which, in 1.5 hours, 25 species of bacteria or fungi that cause sepsis can be identified.

How is sepsis treated?

The main principle of the treatment of blood poisoning is based on the search and elimination of foci of infection. Their sanation is carried out by a wide opening and thorough necroectomy. In addition, the wound is treated with low-frequency ultrasound, antiseptics (Dioxydin, Dimexidine, etc.), surfactants (Chlorhexin), and proteolytic enzymes (Trypsin, Profesim, etc.).

The patient is selected the maximum possible dose of antibiotics, depending on the identified pathogen, for example, with staphylococcal sepsis apply drugs "Fuzidin" and "Refampicin." Increased resistance is stimulated by vitamin therapy and immunostimulating drugs, and aggressive enzymes are inhibited by the introduction of inhibitors, "Counterline" or "Gordoks."

Detoxification is carried out with the help of a large number of protein preparations and intravenous fluids of a glucose solution.

To eliminate manifestations of hypovolemia (decrease in blood volume), preference is given to Polidez, Polyglumasol, and the like. In combination with the dezagregantami "Xanthinal nicotinate" or "Dipiridamol."

One of the methods of treatment is also blood transfusion during sepsis or blood substitutes ("Polyglukin", "Reogluman", etc.). Good results are obtained by laser treatment of blood, and in severe cases, plasmapheresis and artificial kidney apparatus are used.

Prevention of sepsis

In order to prevent the consequences accompanying sepsis of the blood, several rules should be observed, which, although they can not fully insure against the described terrible pathology, but significantly reduce the possibility of its development.

1. All wounds must be treated with antiseptic means.
2. Purulent foci of inflammation subject to timely surgical intervention.
3. Carefully follow the doctor's advice after any injury.

And, of course, to strengthen immunity - because only he is able not to let the infection even begin. Be healthy!