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Causes of Septicemia

 There are various causes of Septicemia which basically revolve around the individual having a vulnerable immune system on account of their age or an existing medical condition. Some of the causes of Septicemia are:

• Latent infections
• Surgery
• Burns
• Intravenous injections
• Infected wounds
  

Septicemia is caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream. There are also certain other factors that tend to increase the possibility of a person developing Septicemia. Some of the risk factors of Septicemia are:

• Individuals who already have a weakened immune system on account of existing medical conditions such as diabetes, liver disease , kidney failure and AIDS.
• Those suffering from cancer are also at a higher risk of developing Septicemia while undergoing cancer treatment in the form of radiation or chemotherapy.
• Very young children and even the elderly are also known to be prone to Septicemia as their immune systems are either not yet fully developed as in the case of the children or the immune systems may be weak as in the case of the elderly.
• A person who has undergone any type of surgery to remove the spleen is also known to be prone to Septicemia on account of reduced immunity. This is because the spleen plays an important role of producing the immune cells.
• Individuals who are already suffering from infections such as cellulitis and meningitis or are on high doses of corticosteroids are known to be at a higher risk of developing Septicemia.
  

In addition to the above risk factors, it has also been observed that a significant number of Septicemia cases have been caused on account of an invasion by gram negative bacteria. Septicemia that is caused by gram negative bacteria is known to be serious and may even result in death if not diagnosed and treated immediately.