What Is Cellulitis?
Cellulitis, which was the infection that affected Sam, is a type of bacterial skin infection. This happens when certain types of bacteria enter broken skin cause infection. It usually happens through a wound or sores on the skin. But for Sam, it was her chafing buttocks that caused the skin to be broken, and for the bacteria to go in2.
The usual symptoms of cellulitis include:
- Redness in the skin
- Swelling of the affected area
- Tenderness
- Pain in the area
- Fever
- Blisters
The most common way of treating cellulitis is to take antibiotics. Though if the infection is severe, debridement or removal of infected tissue might be an option. For the most part, patients can fully recover from cellulitis. However, delayed treatment can quickly make things serious and can prove to be fatal.
How About Sepsis?
As for Sam’s other complication, sepsis or septicemia, this refers to blood poisoning caused by bacteria3. Just like cellulitis, this happens when bacteria enters the body, and in this case, infects a person’s bloodstream.
Pneumonia, skin infections, urinary tract infections, and infections of the gastrointestinal tract can all lead to sepsis as a complication. This is a serious life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
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