Septicemia

Definition:

Septicemia is the presence of bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) and is associated with severe disease.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Septicemia is a serious, rapidly progressive, life-threatening infection that may arise secondary to localized infections of the respiratory, genitourinary and gastrointestinal tract or from the skin. It may precede or coincide with infections of the bone (osteomyelitis), central nervous system (meningitis,) or other tissues. Septicemia can rapidly lead to septic shock and death. Septicemia associated with some organisms such a meningococci can lead to shock, adrenal collapse and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, a condition called Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome.

Onset of septicemia is heralded by spiking fevers and chills, rapid breathing and heart rate, the outward appearance of being seriously ill (toxic) and a feeling of impending doom. These symptoms rapidly progress to shock with decreased body temperature (hypothermia), falling blood pressure, confusion or other changes in the mental status, and clotting abnormalities evidenced by hemorrhagic lesions in the skin (petechiae and ecchymosis).