Bloodstream Infections Overview

Bloodstream infections are infections present in the bloodstream, usually caused by bacteria or other pathogens.
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Infections | Bloodstream Health | Bacterial Infections | Blood Infections | Septicemia
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Bloodstream Infections FAQ


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What is a blood infection?

"Blood infection" is a general term for any infection of the blood. This is most often septicemia but can also include blood infections caused by viruses. Bacterial infections in the blood almost always develop after you've had another infection somewhere else in your body.

What causes primary bloodstream infections?

In primary bloodstream infections, the source remains unknown, but disrupted physiologic barriers (i.e. mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and skin) are the most likely portals of entry. Bacteria are the most frequent blood isolates, accounting for over 90% of bloodstream infections.

What are the different types of bloodstream infections?

Based on type of causative microbe, bloodstream infections are of many types: Bacteremia, in the strictest sense, refers to presence of viable bacteria in the blood. Asymptomatic bacteremia can occur in normal daily activities such as conducting oral hygiene and after minor medical procedures.

How common are bloodstream infections?

Bloodstream infections, the presence of actively proliferating bacteria in serum, account for 14% of nosocomial infections in the United States.2 Most occur in patients who have central venous catheters (CVCs) in situ: they are “catheter related.”

Bloodstream Infections References

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