Define Urosepsis

Urosepsis refers to a specific type of sepsis, or illness causes by infection, specifically localized to the urinary tract. Although the condition can often clear up on its own, the risk it poses if allowed to spread past the urinary tract requires medical help if urosepsis is detected. Luckily, its causes and symptoms are well known.

Basics

• Urosepsis is generally defined as either a urinary tract infection or bacterial infection of the blood stream due to a urinary tract infection. The infection springs from a urinary source because the bacteria causing the infection ascend the urethra and infect the bladder. Once there, the infection poses the risk of further spreading to the kidneys. The worst consequence is the spreading of the infection to the bloodstream, where the infection can prove fatal.

Susceptibility

• A person is most susceptible to urosepsis in old age. In younger people affected with urosepsis the condition usually clears up on its own. Urosepsis is also more likely for patients with other conditions, such as kidney stones, HIV or AIDS.

Causes

• Urosepsis can have many causes, including intravenous injections that have a risk of causing bacterial infection. In addition, benign prostate hyperplasia has been known to cause urosepsis, as has the contraction of bladder cancer. Patients with chlamydia can get urosepsis, as can those who suffer from any type of E-coli food poisoning.

Symptoms

• Many of the symptoms of urosepsis necessitate medical attention. For example, urosepsis is often accompanied by a burning sensation when urinating, or the presence of blood in the urine. In addition, urination may occur more frequently and be accompanied by a fever or increased heart rate. Urosepsis can also cause flank pain, which is a pain in the nerve endings, and a generally decreased blood pressure.

Treatment

• Although many cases of urosepsis clear up on their own, there are several medical options to prevent urosepsis from becoming a more serious condition. To treat some of the blood pressure problems, vasopressors are often prescribed. In addition, fluid replacement can help to clear up any traces of urosepsis. Also, if the urosepsis persists, a course of antibiotic therapy can get rid of the bacterial infection.