Sepsis

This is a pathological condition of the whole body, an inflammatory response caused by an infection. Sepsis usually begins when the body’s resistance is lowered, defense weakened, as it cannot disturb the multiplication of microbes in the focus of inflammation (primary, or septic, focus), spread from there through the blood, causing severe general symptoms of the disease, and creating new foci in parenchymal organs. Sepsis is often accompanied by a severe, stormy course, even septic shock, when blood circulation is disturbed, blood pressure drops, urine output changes (kidney failure), consciousness fades. Sepsis is most often caused by bacteria and their secreted toxins (exotoxins or endotoxins). Sometimes fungal blood infection is also possible. Bacteria in the blood are often accompanied by meningitis, infectious endocarditis. Sepsis is often referred to as blood poisoning, of course, there are many types of sepsis. This is a life-threatening syndrome.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė