blood poisoning

poisoning /poi·son·ing/ (poiz´ning) the morbid condition produced by a poison.

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blood poisoning  septicemia.

food poisoning  a group of acute illnesses due to ingestion of contaminated food. It may result from allergy; toxemia from foods, such as those inherently poisonous or those contaminated by poisons; foods containing poisons formed by bacteria; or foodborne infections.

heavy metal poisoning  poisoning with any of the heavy metals, particularly antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, thallium, or zinc.

mushroom poisoning  that due to ingestion of poisonous mushrooms; see Amanita.

nicotine poisoning  poisoning by nicotine, such as in tobacco workers or children who eat cigarettes, marked by stimulation and then depression of the central and autonomic nervous systems, and sometimes death from respiratory paralysis.

salmon poisoning  see Neorickettsia.

sausage poisoning  allantiasis.

scombroid poisoning  epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, dysphagia, thirst, urticaria, and pruritus, usually lasting for less than 24 hours, caused by the ingestion of a toxic histamine-like substance produced by bacterial action on histidine in fish flesh; occurring when inadequately preserved scombroid fish (tuna, bonito, mackerel, etc.) are eaten.

shellfish poisoning  poisoning from eating bivalve mollusks contaminated with a neurotoxin secreted by protozoa.

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blood poisoning

n.

1. See septicemia.

2. See toxemia.

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blood poisoning.

See septicemia.

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blood poisoning

the term used by lay persons to refer to the presence of infective agents (bacteria) or their toxins in the bloodstream, i.e. septic shock or septicemia. The condition is characterized by elevated body temperature, chills and weakness. Small abscesses may form on the surface of the body and red and blue streaks become apparent along the pathway of surface blood vessels leading to and from the site of the primary infection. A blood culture confirms the diagnosis and helps identify the most effective anti-infective drug for therapy.

Blood poisoning is a serious disease that must be treated promptly. Otherwise, the process of infection leads to circulatory collapse, profound shock and death.