Blood Sepsis - Consequences and Treatment

Infection of the blood (sepsis) is a process of generalinfection of the body with pathogenic microorganisms from the source of infection through the circulatory system. About how this condition develops, what consequences it causes and by what means it is treated, we will discuss later in the article.

Causes of sepsis

The development of sepsis may bemicroorganisms: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and the symptoms of its manifestation will depend on which one has got into the blood. But the launch of the infection process, as a rule, is facilitated by a set of certain circumstances:

• in the body there must be a primary focus of infection associated with the circulatory or lymphatic system;
• the pathogen repeatedly penetrates into the blood;
• There is a formed secondary focus of infection, which then supplies pathogens.

And the most important reason provoking sepsisblood, the consequences of which we consider in the article, is a weak immune system or the presence of pathologies that depress it: extensive operations, heavy blood loss, cancer, HIV, blood diseases, etc. An important role can play in this and the use of immunosuppressive drugs or cytotoxic drugs.

How long does sepsis take?

One of the features of the described pathologyis its ability to lightning current. This type of sepsis, called acute in medicine, flows violently, in parallel affecting organs and systems. In this case, even after 1-2 days, a fatal outcome occurs.

In addition to the mentioned clinical course of pathology,distinguish acute, subacute and recurrent sepsis. They differ among themselves the timing of the course of infection (from a month to six months), and the latter is also a wavy current, during which exacerbations can be replaced by normal well-being. Especially prolonged is the chronic course of sepsis, which can last up to a year, or even more.

Sepsis of blood: symptoms

Signs of blood poisoning, as already mentioned, depend on many causes: the form of the disease, its course, the location of the source of primary infection and the presence of a secondary one.

But basically this pathology in all casesis manifested by jumps in body temperature reaching 39-40 ° C, which are replaced by its normalization. The patient complains of chills, the fact that periods without a temperature are replaced by a feeling of heat and a strong sweating. Besides:

• the onset of the disease can be accompanied by a state of excitation, euphoria in the patient, then passing into apathy and inhibition;
• the patient's skin becomes pale, icteric;
• the pulse speeds up to 150 beats per minute, blood pressure drops, dyspnea appears;
• on the skin there may be a rash in the form of bloody vesicles or pinpoint hemorrhages - which is a sign of the development of hemorrhagic syndrome;
• lips may have herpes;
• sclera eyes turn red, and the oral mucosa bleeds.

As you can see, the beginning of sepsis of the blood results in the most diverse, but the main signs of its appearance are still high fever, the presence of chills and excessive sweating.

Complications of blood sepsis

Complete intoxication resultsthe vital activity of harmful microorganisms, which causes the listed symptoms, when blood is contaminated, is due to the fact that poisonous substances are instantly spread across all organs and tissues, penetrating into mucous membranes and even bones and joints. And all this as a result leads to the fact that the disease itself, and the accompanying sepsis of blood, consequences for a long time, the patient is chained to a hospital bed.

The most serious complication of the disease may beseptic shock, which can occur at any time during its course. No less dangerous are inflammation of the kidneys (paranephritis) or bladder (cystitis), the formation of purulent cavities in different organs (for example, abscesses in the lungs or in the brain), the development of purulent meningitis, heart failure or DIC (intravascular coagulation).

Without proper treatment, sepsis can lead to death.

Forms of the disease

Treatment of blood sepsis is carried out depending on how the microbes penetrated into the blood and where the primary focus of infection is. In medicine, several types of pathology are distinguished.

1. Percutaneous sepsis. It develops when infected through small lesions of the skin in the form of scratches or boils.
2. Obstetric and gynecological. Women are exposed to him after childbirth or abortion.
3. Tonsillar. It is the result of a severe course of the disease with angina.
4. Otogenous. The infection spreads from the ear cavity (for example, as a result of purulent otitis).
5. Odontogenic. The result of infection from the mouth with severe inflammation of the gums and teeth.
6. Cryptogenic sepsis. In this case we are talking about an undetermined focus of purulent inflammation.

Diagnosis of blood poisoning

In order to determine exactly how to treat sepsis of blood, it is necessary to establish a focus of infection and the type of pathogen that has got into the bloodstream.

To do this, a blood test is performed, which is taken from different veins, and sowing the isolated microorganisms into a nutrient medium. In parallel, their sensitivity to antibiotics is determined.

In severe cases, rapid analysis is carried out, inthe time of which is allocated in the blood of the genetic material of the causative agent, thanks to which, after 1.5 hours, you can identify 25 species of bacteria or fungi that are the cause of sepsis.

How is sepsis treated?

The main principle of treatment of infection of the blood is under constructionon the search and elimination of foci of infection. Their sanation is carried out by a wide opening and thorough necroectomy. In addition, the wound is treated with low-frequency ultrasound, antiseptics (Dioxydin, Dimexidine, etc.), surfactants (Chlorhexin), and proteolytic enzymes (Trypsin, Profesim, etc.).

The patient is selected as much as possible dosesantibiotics, depending on the causative agent, for example, with staphylococcal sepsis apply drugs "Fuzidin" and "Refampicin". Increased resistance is stimulated by vitamin therapy and immunostimulating drugs, and aggressive enzymes are inhibited by the introduction of inhibitors, "Counterline" or "Gordoks."

Detoxification is carried out with the help of a large number of protein preparations and intravenous fluids of a glucose solution.

To eliminate the manifestations of hypovolemia (decrease in blood volume), preference is given to Polidez, Polyglumasol, etc. in combination with dezagregantami "Xanthinal nicotinate" or "Dipiridamol."

One of the methods of treatment is alsoblood transfusion for sepsis or blood substitutes (Polyglukin, Reogluman, etc.). Good results are obtained by laser treatment of the blood, and in severe cases, plasmapheresis and the artificial kidney apparatus are used.

Prevention of sepsis

In order to prevent accompanying sepsisof the blood consequences, several rules should be followed, although they can not completely insure against the described terrible pathology, but they will significantly reduce the possibility of its development.

1. All wounds must be treated with antiseptic means.
2. Purulent foci of inflammation subject to timely surgical intervention.
3. Carefully follow the doctor's advice after any injury.

And, of course, to strengthen immunity - because only he is able not to let the infection even begin. Be healthy!