Sepsis, or sepsis, is scary - and rightly so, because it is really dangerous. Each bacterial, viral or fungal infection mobilizes the immune system to fight. Sometimes, however, it happens that the immune barrier is weakened or broken, and a generalized organism becomes infected. The more you know about sepsis, the easier it will be to defend against it.

Sepsis,otherwise known assepsis,is a set of symptoms caused by the body's violent reaction toinfection. The starting point can be any type of infection caused bybacteria, viruses or fungi , e.g. skin abscess, cystitis, pneumonia. Typically, infection only causeslocal inflammationwhich becomes overwhelmed by the immune system.

We can talk about sepsis when microbes manage tobreak the body's protective barrier , and the inflammation spreads like a fire as a result of the release of the so-calledavid mediatorsa. They serve to defend against infection, but when released in excess, instead of combating them, they increase inflammation. In some cases, microbes get into the blood, and with it to every corner of the body. They can quickly lead to the failure of internal organs.

You cannot catch sepsis, but you can become infected with an infectious disease that can, under certain circumstances, cause symptoms of sepsis.

Sepsis: who is most at risk

Sepsis can occur in anyone, but some people are more prone to it. These include:

  • newborns and the elderly, because in the first case the immune system is still immature, in the second - weakened due to age or chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, cirrhosis, alcoholism),
  • people after transplants (taking immunosuppressants that weaken the immune system), extensive injuries (e.g. burns), removal of the spleen,
  • people after invasive medical procedures (operations, with cannulas).

Infection can be caused by various microorganisms, but the most common are:

  • staphylococci,
  • streptococci,
  • pneumococcus,
  • meningokoki.

"One teaspoon for me, one for you …" A lotMom so encourages the child to eat, not realizing that it is a simple way of passing on dangerous bacteria, such as meningococcus, which can be present in the nasopharynx. Close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with meningococcal infection requires taking an appropriate (covering) antibiotic.

Important

The World He alth Organization (WHO) emphasizes that worldwide as much as7 percent.deaths among young children are due to sepsis. One of the reasons for its development may be infections caused bypneumococciandmeningococci .

Sepsis is still a current he alth challenge: specialists from the National Reference Center for the Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Infections have noticed that in recent years the number of reported cases of invasive bacterial infections, including sepsis, especially that caused by meningococci, has increased.

Experts from the National Institute of Public He alth - National Institute of Hygiene (NIPH-PZH) reported that approximately60 percentof all cases of meningococcal infection in 2022 ended in sepsis. The same data show that in 2022 there were1279 casesof sepsis cases in Poland. Approx. 11 percent of these were meningococcal infections. The remaining infections were caused by:

  • pneumococcus (about 70%),
  • salmonella (approx. 14%),
  • H. influenzae (around 5%).

Source: anticipmeningokoki.pl

Sepsis: first symptoms

The first symptoms of sepsis may be similar to the flu and include:

  • fever
  • sore throat and muscles
  • weakness
  • accelerated heartbeat and breathing

But the symptoms of sepsis can also be opposite:

  • decreased body temperature (below 36 ° C)
  • pressure drop
  • shortness of breath

As the infection spreads, symptoms build up quickly. Very characteristic isa slight rash - red or bluish- on the limbs and torso, which does not fade under pressure. Also appear:

  • blood coagulation disorders
  • urinary retention
  • nausea and vomiting

depending on which organs were attacked.

Sepsis: the most common meningococcal disease

The most common cause of sepsis among young, apparently he althy people aremeningococci , which spread easily. They live in the secretions of the nasopharynx. Doctors say that it is the carriers of these bacteriaapprox.5-10 percentpeople who don't even realize it. In adolescents, this percentage can even exceed20%.Carriers are asymptomatic, he althy, but can spread deadly bacteria.

The infection is fostered by close, direct contacts - kissing, eating or drinking from one vessel, sharing cutlery, smoking the same cigarette. In Poland and Europe,serogroup Bdominates (about 70 percent). More than 75% of infections occur in childrenunder 5 years of age .

Invasive meningococcal disease attacks most often in winter and spring. It infects the sick person, but also the carrier (the carrier may last several days, weeks or even months). Consolation may come from the fact that the bacteria that cause invasive meningococcal disease do not survive outside the human body, contact with nasopharyngeal secretions is necessary for infection.

Invasive meningococcal disease can develop as meningitis, sepsis, or sepsis with meningitis.

The number of sepsis cases is increasing every year, not only because of an aging population and frequently used invasive treatments (surgery and surgery), but also because we overuse antibiotics. The result is increasing antibiotic resistance of bacteria.

Important

Meningococcal sepsisis a life-threatening condition, but parents' low awareness of sepsis and meningococcal sepsis, which may be one of its causes, means that relatively few people decide to undergo vaccinations.

A study by Millward Brown found that only 5 out of 100 mums participating in the study had their children vaccinated against meningococcus. This is because mums have limited knowledge of meningococcal infection.

Importantly, the prevention of meningococcal infections is possible. Vaccination is available against meningococcus, including serogroup B, which is most common in our geographical region. In Poland, immunization against meningococcus belongs to the group of recommended, i.e. paid, vaccinations. It is worth knowing that children can be vaccinated after they are 2 months old.

Source: szcz Nepalsiewiedza.pl

Treatment of sepsis: every hour counts

Sepsis spreads like lightning. Launches in the body a cascade ofirreversible, life-threatening changes :

  • destroys blood vessels,
  • leads to blockages,
  • damages the respiratory system.

You can do thatdo not allow it, starting as soon as possibletreatment in the hospital.Hospital treatment of sepsis includes :

  • administration of strong antibiotics,
  • administration of a preparation containing the so-called activated protein C,
  • supporting the functions of failing organs.

Sepsis: prevention

Sepsis can be prevented, at least to a large extent. You should notneglect the treatment of inflammation- tooth, tonsils, colds. You must not abuse antibiotics and use them on your own. You need to strengthen your immunity.

There is no vaccine against sepsis, but there areeffective vaccinationsto prevent infection with the individual bacteria that cause sepsis. Vaccines are currently available against:

  • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib),
  • Neisseria meningitidis of groups B, C and ACWY
  • two types of vaccines against selected pneumococcal serotypes.

Source:

1. przedmeningokoki.pl

2. National Reference Center for the Diagnostics of Bacterial Infections of the Central Nervous System (KOROUN)

Category:

Infectious diseases