Sepsis
Causes and symptoms of sepsis
What is sepsis?
Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a serious infectious disease that occurs when the infection spreads from the primary focus due to a violation of the mechanisms of local and general immunity.
Types of sepsis
Obstetric and gynecological sepsis has two periods - intrauterine and postpartum (due to septic diseases of the medical staff or mother). This infection is very dangerous, as it is transmitted through various objects and can enter the body through wounds, by the respiratory tract, through the skin or baby food. The suppurative process occurs at the site of infection.
Surgical sepsis is most common. Its causes are complications of various surgical purulent diseases or injuries (wounds, burns, etc.).
Otogenic sepsis is dangerous, as it can occur as a complication of purulent otitis media. It often spreads the infection to the lining of the brain, which contributes to the development of meningitis.
Rhinogenic sepsis is sometimes associated with complications of purulent diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses.
Urosepsis occurs with inflammation of the genitourinary system (urethritis, cystitis, pyelitis, nephritis, bartholinitis, prostatitis).
Sepsis causes
The causes of sepsis include suppurative processes of soft tissues, bones, joints and internal organs, as well as decreased immunity, massive invasion. If a local purulent focus exists for a long time, sepsis may develop without effective and timely medical care.
Also, sepsis can be provoked by staphylococcus, meningococcus, E. coli or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, lichen, smallpox or herpes.
Sepsis symptoms
In children, sepsis can begin to develop from underweight, bleeding, or omphalitis. Among the first signs are insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, loss of appetite, fluctuations in body temperature, belching, vomiting, stool disturbances, pallor, and increased heart rate. With an increase in the blood of harmful microorganisms, the temperature rises, the general condition of the patient is rapidly deteriorating, the nasolabial area becomes bluish, the heartbeat becomes more frequent, the skin loses its elasticity, consciousness is inhibited.
Among the general symptoms of sepsis, there is also a significant increase in body temperature (39-40 ° C), the appearance of tachycardia. The patient shivers and sweats a lot. When the body is intoxicated, a person feels weak, his appetite deteriorates; the liver and spleen may enlarge.
Sepsis is characterized by multiple organ damage, often developing cardiac, respiratory, renal, and hepatic failure. Due to bleeding disorders, bleeding and skin rash occur. Examination of the patient shows a sharp increase or significant decrease in the level of leukocytes in the blood relative to the norm.
Sepsis treatment
Treatment of sepsis is an intensive therapy for patients with a purulent infection. It includes the surgical removal of purulent foci: the affected tissues are removed operatively, the operating wound is actively drained, sutures are applied, or skin grafting is used. After the operation, various osmotically active ointments are used to cleanse the purulent focus.
Treatment for sepsis involves the use of antibiotics and antiseptics.
Sepsis is a serious illness, and in any form, the patient should be hospitalized as early as possible. The faster the surgical sanitation of the purulent focus is made, the more intensive the complex therapy, the more likely the patient will recover faster.
Sepsis of newborns
In children, due to sepsis, many processes in the body (blood flow, perfusion) are disrupted. Statistics show that the incidence of the disease in newborns remains high, but this problem is being actively studied.
Sepsis in children can develop as a concomitant symptom of other diseases and may not have its own symptoms. This disease is the body's response to the ingestion of pathogenic microflora. With the inflammatory process, an uncontrolled formation of pus occurs.
In newborns, sepsis can occur when exposed to Klebsiella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as streptococci, enterobacteria, or candida. Sometimes the disease occurs when exposed to multiple microorganisms. Most often, sepsis affects children under one year of age with low body weight.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
