Blood infection, scientifically called sepsis or sepsis, corresponds to the presence of microorganisms in the bloodstream, mainly fungi and bacteria, resulting in symptoms such as hypertension, decreased blood pressure, increased heart cortex and nausea, for example. If not diagnosed and un treatmented, the microorganism can spread to the bloodstream and damage other organisms, leading to complications and organ failure.
The severity of the infection depends on the infecting microorganism and the response of the infected person’s body, but the person with a weakened immune system is the most effective and sensitive to this type of infection and treatment is often more complicated.
- Treatment of blood infection is performed according to the microorganism identified by laboratory tests.
- Which could be treated with antibiotics or antifungals according to medical recommendation and crop results and their sensitivity profile of microorganisms to drugs.
Symptoms of sepsis occur quickly and often after surgery, when a person is infected in the body. Some of the first symptoms include:
When sepsis is not treated early, other more severe symptoms may occur, such as:
When signs and symptoms of blood infection are observed, it is important to consult your doctor so that symptoms described by the patient can be evaluated and tests are requested to confirm the infection in the blood, and that treatment can be initiated and avoided. . Complications.
From the beginning of treatment, there are greater opportunities to avoid serious complications such as sepsis and internal organ loss.
Blood infection is severe due to the microorganism identified and the body’s ability to respond to the infection. This way, newborns, the elderly, and people with immune system disabilities are more likely to have a severe blood infection.
Some microorganisms have a high infectious capacity, able to proliferate rapidly and spread through the bloodstream, injuring other organisms and exhibiting septic shock or sepsis; if the infection is not quickly identified and treated poorly, it can lead to organ failure and death. complains of any septic shock.
Blood infection can be the result of other infections, such as urinary tract infection, pneumonia or meningitis, for example, it can occur after surgery due to infection of surgeries or the installation of medical devices such as catheters and tubes, for example, considered a hospital infection. Learn what a hospital infection is and how to prevent it.
Diagnosis of blood infection is mainly through laboratory tests and cultures, the main test performed to identify microorganisms in the bloodstream is blood culture, which is usually performed during hospital stay and consists of a blood draw by a qualified professional, and there may be identification of bacteria and blood in the blood.
The collected blood is placed in a container called a blood pressure tube and sent to the lab for testing. The tube is placed in a computer capable of providing the right environment for the growth of microorganisms. The tubes remain in the equipment for 7 to 10 hours, days, however, positive crops are identified within the first 3 days. After positive changes are being detected, blood in the tube is used to make a visible blade under a microscope to identify the characteristics of the microorganism.
In addition to microscopic identification, a culture is carried out in an appropriate environment, called an antibiotic, so that the microorganism can be isolated and then identified species and antimicrobials sensitive to resistances, so that the best treatment can be defined Learn more about the antibiotic and its interpretation.
The blood formula can also be requested to confirm the infection, as the number of leukocytes is high, which in case of infection is high, as well as the measurement of C-reactive protein (PCR). Other tests may also be requested to confirm the spread of the microorganism in the body, such as uroculture, wound secretion culture, CT scan, and ultrasound. Learn what the blood formula is for and how to interpret it.
In the case of blood infection by a virus, serological and molecular problems are performed to identify the virus, its concentration in the blood and therefore determine treatment, since the viruses are not identified by blood culture.
Treatment is performed with the hospitalized person and is based on the microorganism identified in the blood, in case of bacterial infection the use of antibiotics is recommended, which is defined by the sensitivity profile of the bacteria, in case of fungal infection, the use of antifungals is indicated according to the result of the antifungiogram.
It is also possible to recommend the use of medications to increase blood pressure, such as low doses of corticosteroids and insulin to regulate blood sugar.