Septicimia

What is septicimia

organisms multiplying in the blood. Bacteria and a few fungi can cause this. Pateints are described as septic

Signs and symptoms

• FEVER

• Altered mental state

• very ill

• shaking

• chills

• gastrointestinal symptoms

• Increased breathing rate (causes respiratory alkalosis)

• Low blood pressure (leads to loss of fluids from vasculature)

Causitive agents

most are caused by bacteria, mainly MRSA. 10% of cases are caused by fungi

Pathogenesis and virulence factors

Gram neg: release endotoxins (LPS), stimulates inflammatory responses by the host’s cytokines, leads to drop in blood pressure

Gram pos: same process but instead of endotoxin, it’s fragments of cell wall.

endotoxic shock

drop in blood pressue consequence of the inflammatory response of cytokines when gram neg bacteria release endotoxin into the blood

transmission and epidemiology

• Parenteral introduction (surgery or IV lines)

• Secondary infection from a urinary or renal infection

• Prostatic, pancreatic or gallbladder abscesses

• meningitis, osteomyelitis and pneumonia can lead to sepsis

• patients with spleen malfunction are predisposed

Prevention and treatment

broad spectrum antibiotics

treatment is adjusted after organism is identified