Bacteremia is a condition in which bacteria enter the blood.

Signs and symptoms

• fever

Bacteremia may be transient and occur without complications and serious consequences, but it also can lead to serious systemic damage to the body.

The bacteria enter the blood of humans and animals through the damaged skin, mucous membranes, as well as in pathological changes of lymph nodes, vascular system, etc. Bacteremia accompanies many infectious diseases - leptospirosis, spotted and relapsing fever, tularemia. Bacteremia is particularly characteristic for intestinal infections (typhoid, paratyphoid fever and other salmonellosis, brucellosis, etc.) under which it determines the generalization of the pathological process.

The most pronounced bacteremia is in acute (generalized) phase of the disease. Bacteremia is developing under the influence of medium and large doses of ionizing radiation resulting from natural immunity disorders, reduction in antibodies production, reduction of white blood cells level and their phagocytic activity, as well as changes in the permeability of tissue barriers and other factors. Bacteremia is a typical complication of the radiation sickness.

The development of symptoms such as rapid breathing (not related to physical activity), chills and shivering, persistent fever, drop in blood pressure, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, allows to suspect the development of septic shock. Septic shock develops in 25-40% of patients with severe bacteremia.

As the body overcomes the disease (activation of phagocytic function of leukocytes, accumulation of antibodies, etc.) bacteremia decreases until it disappears.

The most common treatment methods for bacteremia and septic shock are:

• antibiotics
• surgery
• beta-blockers
• diuretics and cardiac glycosides
• glucocorticoids