Definition of Blood poisoning
Blood poisoning: The medical term is
"septicemia." No matter which of
these
two terms-blood poisoning or septicemia-you prefer, what is
meant is
the
same thing, namely a "general (systemic) disease that is
due to the
presence
and the persistence of germs (pathogenic microorganisms) or
their toxins in
the bloodstream." The "germs" can be bacteria (in
bacteremia) or any other
microscopic agent of infection capable of causing disease
in humans.
Another
term that is very closely related to "blood poisoning" and
"septicemia" is
"sepsis." "Sepsis" also refers to the presence and
persistence of germs or
their toxins in the blood but those germs or toxins do not
need to be in
the
blood. They may be in other tissues of the body. Blood
poisoning/septicemia
and sepsis are often serious. They can sometimes be life
threatening
diseases
calling for urgent and comprehensive care.
Common Misspellings: blood poisioning, blod poisoning, blod poisioning
Back to medical dictionary A-Z List