Sepsis is a life-threatening illness. Your body's response to a bacterial infection usually causes it. Your immune system goes into overdrive, overwhelming normal processes in your blood. The result is that small blood clots form, blocking blood flow to vital organs. This can lead to organ failure. Babies, old people and those with weakened immune systems are most likely to get sepsis. But even healthy people can become deathly ill from it. A quick diagnosis can be crucial, because one third of people who get sepsis die from it.
Sepsis is usually treated in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU). IV antibiotics and fluids may be given to try to knock out the infection and to keep blood pressure from dropping too low. Patients may also need respirators to help them breathe.
- Sepsis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/sepsis/DS01004/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Bacterial Wound Culture(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/wound_culture/test.html
- Blood Culture(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/blood_culture/test.html
- Blood Poisoning (Bacteremia)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/blood-poisoning/AN00716/METHOD=print
- Guide to Severe Sepsis(Society of Critical Care Medicine) - http://sccmwww.sccm.org/press_room/sepsis_guide.asp
- Septic Shock(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec17/ch191/ch191c.html
- Toxic Shock Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/toxic-shock-syndrome/DS00221/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Bacteremia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Bacteremia%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Sepsis
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Sepsis%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Septicemia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Septicemia%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Shock, Septic(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Shock,+Septic%22
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Dogging Sepsis(National Institute of General Medical Sciences) - http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/findings/mar07/dogging.html
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Study Evaluates Oral Care and Bacteremia Risk(National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/ResearchResults/ScienceBriefs/CurrentSNIB/June/Bacteremia.htm
- Article: Severe fungal infections linked to drugs. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18840827&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Lemierre's syndrome: what are the roles for anticoagulation and long-term... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18834071&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Distinct hemodynamic patterns of septic shock at presentation to pediatric... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18829798&tool=MedlinePlus
- Sepsis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=sepsis[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
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National Institute of General Medical Sciences - http://www.nigms.nih.gov/
- Blood Culture(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest3.html
- Group B Strep: Frequently Asked Questions(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/groupBstrep/general/gen_public_faq.htm
- My Child Has... Sepsis(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1574/mainpageS1574P0.html
- Sepsis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/medical_problems/sepsis.html
- Toxic Shock Syndrome(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/tss.html
- Bacterial Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bacterialinfections.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Sepsis is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/