Bloodstream infection

For the systemic immune response to bacterial infection in the blood, see sepsis.
Bloodstream infections
Other namesBlood infection, toxemia, bacteremia, septicemia
SpecialtyInfectious diseases Edit this on Wikidata

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are infections of blood caused by blood-borne pathogens.[1] The detection of microbes in the blood (most commonly accomplished by blood cultures[2]) is always abnormal. A bloodstream infection is different from sepsis, which is characterized by severe inflammatory or immune responses of the host organism to pathogens.[3]

Bacteria can enter the bloodstream as a severe complication of infections (like pneumonia or meningitis), during surgery (especially when involving mucous membranes such as the gastrointestinal tract), or due to catheters and other foreign bodies entering the arteries or veins (including during intravenous drug abuse).[4] Transient bacteremia can result after dental procedures or brushing of teeth.[5]

Bacteremia can have several important health consequences. Immune responses to the bacteria can cause sepsis and septic shock, which have high mortality rates.[6] Bacteria can also spread via the blood to other parts of the body (which is called hematogenous spread), causing infections away from the original site of infection, such as endocarditis or osteomyelitis.[citation needed] Treatment for bacteremia is with antibiotics, and prevention with antibiotic prophylaxis can be given in high risk situations.[7]

  1. ^ Viscoli, C (2 April 2016). "Bloodstream Infections: The peak of the iceberg". Virulence. 7 (3): 248–51. doi:10.1080/21505594.2016.1152440. PMC 4871637. PMID 26890622.
  2. ^ Doern, Gary (September 13, 2016). "Blood Cultures for the Detection of Bacteremia". uptodate.com. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  3. ^ Fan, Shu-Ling; Miller, Nancy S.; Lee, John; Remick, Daniel G. (2016-09-01). "Diagnosing sepsis - The role of laboratory medicine". Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry. 460: 203–210. doi:10.1016/j.cca.2016.07.002. ISSN 1873-3492. PMC 4980259. PMID 27387712.
  4. ^ Sligl, Wendy; Taylor, Geoffrey; Brindley, Peter G. (2006-07-01). "Five years of nosocomial Gram-negative bacteremia in a general intensive care unit: epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and outcomes". International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 10 (4): 320–325. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2005.07.003. ISSN 1201-9712. PMID 16460982.
  5. ^ Perez-Chaparro, P. J.; Meuric, V.; De Mello, G.; Bonnaure-Mallet, M. (2011-11-01). "[Bacteremia of oral origin]". Revue de Stomatologie et de Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale. 112 (5): 300–303. doi:10.1016/j.stomax.2011.08.012. ISSN 1776-257X. PMID 21940028.
  6. ^ Singer, Mervyn; Deutschman, Clifford S.; Seymour, Christopher Warren; Shankar-Hari, Manu; Annane, Djillali; Bauer, Michael; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Bernard, Gordon R.; Chiche, Jean-Daniel (2016-02-23). "The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3)". JAMA. 315 (8): 801–810. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.0287. ISSN 1538-3598. PMC 4968574. PMID 26903338.
  7. ^ Yang, Lu; Tang, Zhuang; Gao, Liang; Li, Tao; Chen, Yongji; Liu, Liangren; Han, Ping; Li, Xiang; Dong, Qiang (2016-08-01). "The augmented prophylactic antibiotic could be more efficacious in patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis". International Urology and Nephrology. 48 (8): 1197–1207. doi:10.1007/s11255-016-1299-7. ISSN 1573-2584. PMID 27160220. S2CID 6566177.