BACTEREMIA

Course overview

BACTEREMIA, IN THE STRICTEST SENSE, REFERS TO VIABLE BACTERIA IN THE BLOOD. ASYMPTOMATIC BACTEREMIA CAN OCCUR IN NORMAL DAILY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CONDUCTING ORAL HYGIENE AND AFTER MINOR MEDICAL PROCEDURES. IN A HEALTHY PERSON, THESE CLINICALLY BENIGN INFECTIONS ARE TRANSIENT AND CAUSE NO FURTHER SEQUELAE. HOWEVER, WHEN IMMUNE RESPONSE MECHANISMS FAIL OR BECOME OVERWHELMED, BACTEREMIA BECOMES A BLOODSTREAM INFECTION THAT CAN EVOLVE INTO MANY CLINICAL SPECTRUMS AND IS DIFFERENTIATED AS SEPTICEMIA. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE CAUSES AND PRESENTATION OF BACTEREMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.