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Blood poisoning: What does it mean?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/blood-poisoning/AN00716
- With Mayo Clinic internist
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
James Steckelberg, M.D.
Dr. James Steckelberg is a consultant in the Division of Infectious Diseases and a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School.
A native of Fremont, Neb., Dr. Steckelberg was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine as a resident in internal medicine and a fellow in infectious diseases, and is board certified in both. He is the former director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Steckelberg belongs to numerous professional organizations. He is a founding member of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society and a fellow of the American College of Physicians and of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He has served on many Mayo Clinic committees and is a member of the Department of Medicine Leadership Committee and of the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy" and has been an editorial reviewer for more than a dozen publications.
Dr. Steckelberg's research interests include experimental models of infection, epidemiology of infection, and antimicrobial resistance and therapy of bacterial infections.
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Question
Blood poisoning: What does it mean?
What does it mean when someone has "blood poisoning"?
Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
"Blood poisoning" is not a medical term. As the term is usually used, it refers to the presence of bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) — and not a poisonous substance in the blood. So "blood poisoning" is really a misnomer.
Bacteria may enter the blood through a wound or infection or during a medical or dental procedure or injection. Signs and symptoms of bacteremia may include:
- Sudden, high fever
- Chills
- Rapid heart rate
- Nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
- Appearing or feeling seriously ill
A diagnosis of bacteremia is usually confirmed by a blood culture. Bacteremia is a serious illness that requires prompt medical attention. Treatment requires hospitalization and includes intravenous antibiotics. Without prompt treatment, bacteremia can quickly progress to severe sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition.
- Barlam TF, et al. Approach to the acutely ill infected patient - Specific presentations. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
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