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Diagnosis of Sepsis


The diagnosis of sepsis requires extensive testing because the symptoms often mimic simple infections. There are a lot of tests for sepsis, these include:

  • Blood work for the analysis of white blood cells. An increase in the white cell count indicates presence of an infection.
  • Blood work may also be sent to labs for making bacteria cultures. Technicians may also look for presence of microbes in the blood to confirm infection.
  • Tests are also performed on samples of urine, mucus and spinal fluid. If there are abscesses or rashes, the technicians may take a sample to check for any kind of microbes and infectious organisms.
  • A catheter is inserted into the urethra to get a fresh sample of urine. This can help check for any infections in the urine.
  • Some of the other imaging tests performed to check for sepsis include an X ray of the chest and CT scans of the abdomen. These tests are performed to look for congestion and infection.
  • If the patient has been admitted to a hospital, the vitals may be monitored. The heart rates and the rhythm may especially be monitored to check for signs of deterioration.
  • In a clinical or hospital setting, the oxygen levels in the blood may also be checked.

Signs & Symptoms
Prognosis
References
  1. James M. O’Brien Jr, Naeem A. Ali, Scott K. Aberegg, Edward Abraham, Sepsis, The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 120, Issue 12, December 2007, Pages 1012-1022, ISSN 0002-9343, 10.1016/j.amjmed.2007.01.035.
  2. Adriana Cristina Galbiati Parminondi Elias, Tiemi Matsuo, Cintia Magalhães Carvalho Grion, Lucienne Tibery Queiroz Cardoso, Paulo Henrique Verri, Incidence and risk factors for sepsis in surgical patients: A cohort study, Journal of Critical Care, Volume 27, Issue 2, April 2012, Pages 159-166, ISSN 0883-9441, 10.1016/j.jcrc.2011.08.001.