Is sepsis contagious? Sepsis isn’t contagious and it can’t be spread through sexual transmission from person to person. But it can occur when you have one of the following infections such as lung infection, kidney infection, skin infection and gut infection.
Is sepsis contagious? iStock-photo credit: VectorMine
Some of the basic symptoms if you are going into a septic phase is elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, pale and clammy skin, confusion, and extreme pain.
With regards to sepsis and according to the CDC more than 1.5 million people get sepsis every year in the United States. And statistically one in three people who die in the hospital have sepsis.
The best way to describe sepsis is that it is a life-threatening disease caused by your body’s response to an infection. Septic shock is associated with a big drop in blood pressure levels and if it is not treated immediately, it can be fatal.
There are 3 stages of sepsis which is:
- Sepsis- An infection that hits the bloodstream and causes inflammation in the body.
- Severe sepsis-This is when the infection and inflammation is so strong that it starts to affect the organs.
- Septic Shock- It’s a severe complication of sepsis that causes a big drop in blood pressure which leads to organ failure, respiratory/heart failure, stroke and ultimately lead to death.
The people that are at the highest risk of sepsis are people in ICU’s, young children, and seniors. And people that are going through chemotherapy for cancer or who have a weakened immune system.
One of the best ways to diagnose if you have sepsis is through a blood or urine test. And some of the ways to treat sepsis are IVs to fight infection, blood pressure medications and corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.
The Bottom Line is sepsis isn’t contagious whatsoever, but it is a life-threatening disease caused by your body’s response to an infection. The highest risk for sepsis is older adults, new born babies and people with pre-existing health conditions.
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About Author- Obi Obadike
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References
- Clifford KM, Dy-Boarman EA, Haase KK, Maxvill K, Pass SE, Alvarez CA. Challenges with Diagnosing and Managing Sepsis in Older Adults. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2016;14(2):231-41. doi: 10.1586/14787210.2016.1135052. Epub 2016 Jan 14. PMID: 26687340; PMCID: PMC4804629.
- da Silva Ramos FJ, de Freitas FGR, Machado FR. Sepsis in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019: how often and how severe? Curr Opin Crit Care. 2021 Oct 1;27(5):474-479. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0000000000000861. PMID: 34292175; PMCID: PMC8452249.
