Blood infection: Causes and symptoms

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vu Huu Thang - Emergency Resuscitation Doctor - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital

Sepsis is the body's greatest immune response to the presence of bacteria entering the bloodstream. This is considered an emergency because it often leads to rapid organ failure and high mortality. Symptoms of sepsis are sometimes difficult to detect early and can be confused with other illnesses. Therefore, having adequate knowledge and timely treatment is the key to increasing the chances of survival for patients after sepsis.

Sepsis or sepsis is a life-threatening illness where the whole body has to react to the presence of germs in the blood. While the immune system's job is to protect the body from infection, it can also put the body at risk when it comes to dealing with an infection.
Sepsis is dangerous not only because of the virulence of bacteria, toxins from their secretions, but also because of chemical mediators released by the immune system into the bloodstream, triggering a systemic inflammatory response. body to fight infection but damage tissues and organs in the body. Accordingly, severe cases of blood infection can lead to septic shock, multi-organ failure, quickly leading to death, so this is considered a medical emergency.
Worldwide, there are more than 1.5 million cases of sepsis each year and sepsis is in the top 10 leading causes of death.

Any infection can trigger the course of sepsis. However, the following types of infections are most likely to cause blood infections:
Pneumonia ; Cellulitis; Intra-abdominal infections; Urinary tract infections; Central nervous system infections; Bacteremia. The most well-documented risk factors for developing sepsis are:
Aging population; Young children under 12 months, especially premature babies, low birth weight babies, children with birth defects; The sharp increase in antibiotic resistance in the context of antibiotics increasingly losing their ability to kill bacteria; The abuse of antibiotics due to indiscriminate use, improper indications; Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, such as those with HIV, receiving anti-cancer chemotherapy, after an organ transplant, and taking immunosuppressive drugs; The patient is being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU); Patients with invasive devices, such as intravenous catheters or breathing tubes; Having many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, cancer; There is a serious injury or trauma, such as severe burns, traumatic brain injury. The above subjects not only have a higher risk of common infectious diseases than the general population, increasing the risk of sepsis complications, but also have a severe prognosis and high mortality rate.

The initial symptoms of sepsis are sometimes subtle and can be confused with other conditions. Therefore, when the body has any suspicious symptoms, do not try to self-diagnose and treat at home. Instead, get medical help as soon as possible, especially those in the above risk groups.
The initial symptoms that should be suspected of sepsis are:
High fever or sometimes low body temperature; Feelings of chills and shaking; Cold, sweaty skin; Cool and pale skin, swelling on extremities, signaling poor tissue perfusion; low blood pressure or low blood pressure; Fast heart beat; Increased breathing rate; Tired breathing, pulled breathing; Diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; Urine volume is small or may not be urinating all day; Dizziness or lightheadedness or weakness; Confusion or any other unusual change in mental status, such as helplessness, fear of death; Loss of consciousness.

The danger of sepsis depends on age, previous medical history, overall health, and also the time from onset of illness to specific treatment.
For the elderly, people with many chronic diseases or immunocompromised people, even with strong antibiotic intervention at a very early time, high dose, broad spectrum, mortality can still be up to 80%. In contrast, for healthy subjects without pre-existing disease, in good general condition, the mortality rate can be low, approximately 5%. Accordingly, compared with infectious diseases in general, sepsis always has a rather heavy prognosis because the average mortality rate is always about 40%. It is important to remember that prognosis also depends largely on any delay in diagnosis and treatment. The sooner it is treated, the better the outcome will be.
Besides, severe blood infections can also cause serious complications. In which, the most prominent is a hemostatic disorder that causes the formation of small blood clots in the vessel walls that spread throughout the body, blocking the flow of blood, providing oxygen and nutrients to the organs, especially the lungs. brain, heart, and kidneys, increasing the risk of multiple organ failure. At this time, the patient quickly fell into critical condition, with hypotension, collapse due to septic shock, toxic shock.
On the other hand, patients who have a good chance of recovering from mild sepsis also have a higher risk of future infections than the general population.
In summary, sepsis is an infectious disease with the most severe severity in the presence of bacteria in the blood stream, causing multi-organ failure and high mortality. Early detection and aggressive treatment improve the prognosis. Therefore, equipping yourself with the necessary knowledge, early visit to a trusted medical facility is the best way to protect the health of yourself and your loved ones.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of leading medical doctors, modern equipment and technology, but also stands out for its examination and consultation services. comprehensive and professional medical consultation and treatment; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space.