Sepsis

 What is Sepsis?

Sepsis is a rare but extremely fatal condition. It is your bodies' most extreme reaction to a bacterial infection. Sepsis usually starts mildly when an infection isn't treated properly or a few infections happen at once. As it is ignores, the case worsens, blood flow weakens and blood clots form, it can cause multiple organ failure and tissue death. Without treatment in time, it can worsen in no time and kill quickly. Even though most people recover from mild sepsis after being treated, if sepsis isn't treated, it will kill within 36 hours. The average mortality rate for sepsis is 40% and causes 270000 deaths per year, which is an even bigger killer than opiods, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Even if you survive a severe sepsis episode, you may be more vulnerable to future infections.

How do you catch Sepsis?

Sepsis happens when you don't treat your bacterial infection properly and it enters your bloodstream. After it enters your bloodstream, white blood cells and bacteria fight all around the body because the blood carries it to different organs, causing clots and leaky blood vessels. This causes inflammation all around the body and organs, which can cause tissue death and organ failure. The most common causes are from lung infections and urine tract infections.

Stages:

- Mild Sepsis: still recoverable, but has to be treat in time

- Severe Sepsis: organ damage, tissue dysfunction

- Septic Shock: organ damage and failure, tissue death (gangrene), hypotension

Symptoms:

Shivering, chills (above 38 degrees celcius or below 36 degrees celcius)

Extreme pain/discomfort (abnormal organ functions)

Pale

Sleepy, confused, disoriented

I feel like death

Short of breath

- No urination

- Rapid Pulse

- Low blood pressure and oxygen

Prevention:

Remember to treat your infections properly, and if you feel more than 2 warning signs of sepsis, go to a doctor immediately or call EMS. The earlier you get help, the faster and better you'll recover.

MRSA

 What is MRSA?

MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Superbug is a disease you've probably heard before, but never really knew what it is. MRSA is a staph(staphylococcaceae) bacterium superbug. Superbugs is an informal name for antibiotic resistant bacteria, and some examples of superbugs are MRSA or Drug-Resistant TB from the last blog post. Resistance is usually formed during evolution by the overuse of antibiotics. Because of its drug-resistance, MRSA is much harder to treat than other staph. A study shows that of 273 patients admitted for USA300 strain MRSA, 66 patients (24%) passed away. Out of the patients, 17.7% of the deaths occured within 30 days. In 2017 alone, it ended over 20000 lives and caused over 120000 bloodstream infections. 

What is Staph?

Staph, or staphylococcaceae is not to be confused with strep (streptococcus), which is a mouth or throat infection while staph is a skin infection. There are more than 30 types of staph, with MRSA being one of them.  

How do you catch MRSA?

MRSA usually spreads by skin-to-skin contact. This can be direct or indirect. If someone infected touches someone else, they can infect the other person with it, which is quite obvious, but another way it can transmit is by touching contaminated items. For instance, if someone infected uses gym equipment, and you use it, you have a chance to be infected.

Symptoms:

• Red swollen pusful bump/lumps (usually painful and warm to the touch)
• Fever
• Chills
• Cough
• Chest Pain
• Aches
• Organ Problems (Lungs, Joints, Heart, Bones...)

Consequences and if left untreated:

• Sepsis
• Impaired Lymphatic Functions
• Death

Risks:

• Hospitals (HA-MRSA Healthcare associated-MRSA)
• Hospitals-infections take up a great amount of MRSA cases
• Invasive devices put into you making wounds
• Community (CA-MRSA Community associated-MRSA)
• Exposed wounds
• Intravenous drugs 
• Unsanitary

Prevention:

• Hand washing
• Cover and clean wounds
• Don't use other people's personal items especially for skin
• Shower and clean
• Don't inject intravenous drugs unless medically necessary