What are the symptoms of sepsis?
The symptoms of sepsis are primarily infection and poisoning symptoms, including chills, shivering, and high fever; it can also cause skin damage, including ecchymosis and petechiae; it can also cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea; then there are joint symptoms such as joint swelling and pain; and hepatosplenomegaly.
1. Symptoms of infection and poisoning
Sepsis typically occurs in most acute illnesses. Generally, there is chills or shivering, followed by high fever, fever, relaxation, or examination; the weak, severely malnourished, and infants may not have a fever, or even have a lower than normal temperature. Mental depression or irritability may occur; in severe cases, pallor or grayish discoloration and altered mental status may appear. Other symptoms include cold extremities, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and jaundice may also occur in infants.
2. Skin damage
Some patients with sepsis may present with various skin lesions, including ecchymosis, petechiae, and scarlet fever-like rashes, as well as urticaria-like rashes. Rashes are commonly found on the skin of the extremities, trunk, or oral mucosa. Meningococcal sepsis may present with ecchymosis or petechiae of varying sizes; scarlet fever-like rashes are common in streptococcal and Staphylococcus aureus sepsis.
3. Gastrointestinal symptoms
Sepsis often causes adverse symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even hematemesis and melena. If the condition is severe, it can also induce toxic ileus, or dehydration, acidosis and other adverse symptoms.
4. Joint symptoms
Some patients with sepsis often experience adverse symptoms such as joint swelling, pain and limited mobility, or joint effusion, which are more common in large joints.
5. Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly
This adverse symptom is more common in infants and children, presenting as mild to moderate swelling; some children may develop toxic hepatitis; when Staphylococcus aureus migration damages the liver and causes an abscess, significant liver tenderness is present.
Sepsis can be extremely dangerous. In real life, if a patient experiences adverse symptoms such as skin lesions, limited mobility, frequent vomiting, or diarrhea, sepsis should be considered.