Severe blood infections affect an estimated 750,000 people every year, according to My ICU Care.org. The body's response to a blood infection is called sepsis. Most people recover from sepsis, but it does have the potential to become a life-threatening condition in a critically short amount of time. As sepsis worsens, vital organs begin to shut down because blood flow becomes impaired. About 15 percent of people with mild sepsis die, and about half of those with severe sepsis or septic shock die.
Definition
Bacterial blood infections start as an infection somewhere inside the body. The presence of bacteria in the blood is called bacteremia, according to Lab Tests Online. The most frequent sources of bacteremia are the lungs, urinary tract, abdomen and pelvis. The body's immune system responds to the presence of bacteria in the blood and can usually heal bacteremia on its own. The blood itself may become infected, a condition called septicemia. Sepsis is caused when the body overreacts to this bacterial infection.
Symptoms
Symptoms of bacterial blood infections usually begin with spiking fever with chills, fast heartbeat and rapid breathing. A patient appears very ill. Body temperature may stay high or it might drop suddenly. Blood pressure may be low, and the patient may go into shock. The patient may become confused or appear to be in an altered mental state. Blood clots may form, and tiny red spots called petechiae appear on the skin.
Diagnosis
To diagnose bacterial blood infections, a doctor performs a thorough medical examination and takes a detailed medical history. He orders blood tests, including a complete blood count, blood clotting studies and blood cultures. A patient with a bacterial blood infection usually has a high white blood cell count, an indication that the body is fighting infection. A laboratory cultures the blood, which allows any bacteria in that blood sample to grow large enough for identification.
Treatment
Bacterial blood infections are serious, and affected patients must stay in the hospital. They receive fluids intravenously to restore and maintain blood pressure. A doctor will also give antibiotics through the IV. Patients receive oxygen as well as plasma or other treatments for clotting problems associated with septicemia.
Risks
Some factors increase the risk for developing sepsis, including age, race, health and recent medical history. Patients over 65 and infants develop sepsis more frequently than patients in other age groups, according to the Mayo Clinic. Black people tend to get sepsis more frequently than patients of other races, with black men developing it more often than black women. An immune system weakened by preexisting conditions such as HIV, cancer or liver failure may increase the risk of sepsis. Invasive procedures, like surgery or the insertion of a catheter, may introduce bacteria into the body, which can then lead to septicemia and sepsis.
