Sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, is an exaggerated and excessive response initiated by the immune system against microorganisms in the blood. This sudden reaction, which all-out attack, endangers the person’s life by damaging internal organs if not intervened in time with medical help. Sepsis cannot be prevented, however once it manifests, medical intervention may be possible. Therefore, it is crucial for the individual’s safety to identify sepsis signs as soon as possible and call medical facilities right away.
How Does Sepsis Develop?
Sepsis is the body’s self-destructive, chain-reaction to infection. Not all infections result in sepsis. Since there is no prophylactic (preventive) medicine or vaccination for sepsis, risk-increasing variables ought to be avoided.
Skin injuries are one of the conditions that can cause sepsis. Open wounds can get infected, and microorganisms can easily enter the bloodstream if they are not cleaned and covered promptly. Infections in the blood trigger sepsis.
Respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and gastrointestinal infections also have a high risk of triggering sepsis. Those who have one of these illnesses need to take precautions and pay attention to sepsis signs, not to mention be vigilant. Additionally, compared to other individuals, those with chronic illnesses like diabetes, who have recently had surgery, have recently given birth or had a miscarriage, are over 65, and under the age of five have a greater chance of having sepsis.
Sepsis can cause blood circulation to slow down and dangerously low blood pressure when medical treatment is postponed. Slow and low-tension blood circulation, also known as septic shock, can harm internal organs irreparably, leading to organ failure, gangrene, coma, and even death.
Tragically, individuals who develop gangrene may lose their hands, feet, and even fingers. The patient may spend weeks in hospital and may need rehabilitation after discharge.
An advantage in preventing irreparable damage to the person is having early diagnosis of the signs of sepsis, which appears abruptly and cannot be halted without medical assistance.
What are the Symptoms of Sepsis?
Sepsis-related symptoms include the following, for which it is advisable to seek immediate medical attention:
- Very high or very low heart rate, low blood pressure,
- Rapid, interrupted breathing or having trouble breathing,
- High fever, shivers, feeling chilly,
- The sweat beads,
- Severe pain or discomfort that is not localised in one area,
- Rash that does not disappear when pressed (glass test),
- Vomiting, diarrhea or inability to urinate,
- Confusion, not recognizing the environment,
- Difficulty staying awake, loss of conscious.
Antibiotics and ancillary therapy methods are used in the treatment of sepsis. However, for the patient’s health and the effectiveness of the therapy, it is crucial to precisely identify the type of antibiotics, and even the strain, that is the cause of the condition.
How to Diagnose Sepsis?
When you are admitted to a healthcare institution with suspicion of sepsis, the doctor first subjects you to a physical examination. A blood test is typically ordered to establish the condition’s severity and to provide a conclusive result. There are two ways to test blood. The conventional method involves blood culture on the sample of blood that was collected from you.
Blood cultures are effective in identifying bacteria and fungi, but they only provide results after 24 to 72 hours. Additionally, blood cultures can only find a certain number of germs. In particular, the ability of bacteria to rapidly mutate and new antibiotic resistance features they develop could fail to spot in the blood culture method.
Numerous pathogens can be identified simultaneously and in a matter of hours using the Real-Time PCR method, a gene-based molecular diagnostic technique that is more inventive and quickly adapts to varied mutation structures. Gene region scanning makes it possible to identify antibiotic resistance in bacteria and direct the appropriate course of therapy.
Sepsis is a dangerous medical condition that calls for immediate treatment and may be debilitating. Anatolia Geneworks recognises the relevance of research and development initiatives for patient health as well as the requirements of healthcare professionals. Real-Time PCR Sepsis Diagnosis Kits and Drug Resistance Screening Kits created in line with clinical requirements enable accurate and definitive diagnosis to be made in a very short time from a small amount of whole blood samples.
