Sepsis, commonly called septicemia, is an
infection of the
blood. While blood sometimes has
bacteria flowing in it, white blood cells, the body's natural defense mechanism, can usually remove the bacteria. However, sepsis may occur if the white blood cells are overwhelmed by an unusually large amount of bacteria.
Symptoms include, but are not limited to, fever, chills, rapid breathing and
heartbeat, losing interest in food, and feeling a sense of doom.
Sometimes sepsis develops when there is another infection within the body, such as a
respiratory,
skin, or
gastrointestinal infection. Sepsis may also coincide with or precede meningitis, an infection of the central nervous system.
Sepsis can become a severe condition leading to infections of the
brain and
heart, and subsequently resulting in
death.
See Also
- Infections
- Arava / Leflunomide
- Enbrel / Etanercept
- Group B Strep - Diagnosis Errors
- Kineret / Anakinra
- Laparoscopy: Overview