Blood Infections & Immunodeficiency
Understanding Blood Infections and Immunodeficiency
Lee Health offers experienced and compassionate care to each of our patients starting with an individualized approach to diagnosis and treatment for blood infections, sepsis and immunodeficiency.
While infections can happen to anybody, children are particularly susceptible to blood infection or sepsis, especially if they have underlying conditions such as immunodeficiency.
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Pediatric Infectious Diseases - Golisano Children's Health Center
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Pediatric Infectious Diseases - HealthPark Medical Center
What causes a blood infection (Sepsis)?
Sepsis starts with an infection caused by bacteria, virus, fungi or parasites. When the body has an infection the body will fight it, but with sepsis the chemicals get into the bloodstream spreading to the body's organs and damaging them.
What are the signs and symptoms of blood infection in children?
Early detection can be the difference between life and death, so understanding the symptoms are an important part of early intervention. While children may present with some of the symptoms listed below and not have sepsis, a child presenting multiple symptoms listed who seems sicker than usual can be a sign of sepsis. Seek immediate medical care if you suspect your child has an infection that is not improving or is getting worse. Often sepsis is preceded by an infection such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, or skin or bone infections.
Symptoms of a blood infection (sepsis) include:
- Fever or low temperature (newborns and infants may have low temperature)
- Elevated heart rate
- Fast breathing
- Cold sensation in the hands in feet
- Pale and clammy skin
- Disorientation, dizziness or confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Extreme discomfort or pain
- Vomiting or Nausea
If you or your child's pediatric specialist suspect sepsis, your child will need to be treated in a hospital immediately.
What is immunodeficiency?
Immunodeficiency disorders involve malfunction of the immune system, impairing the immune system’s ability to defend the body against foreign or abnormal cells. As a result infections and cancers may be more likely to develop. Often individuals with an immunodeficiency disorder will also have an autoimmune disorder.
Two types of immunodeficiency are:
- Primary: These disorders are usually present at birth and are genetic disorders that are generally hereditary. Generally they are recognized in infancy or childhood. While there are more than 100 primary immunodeficiency disorders they are relatively rare.
- Secondary: These disorders generally develop later in life and stem from use of certain medications or long-term conditions such as diabetes or HIV.
Symptoms of immunodeficiency
These symptoms include:
- Infections of the mouth, eyes, and digestive tract like thrush
- Fevers and chills
- Loss of appetite and/or weight loss
- Infants or young children may have chronic diarrhea and a failure to thrive
Common Causes of Immunodeficiency
Common causes of immunodeficiency include:
- Medication or form a long-standing. serious disorder
- Frequent unusual or unusually severe or prolonged infections
- Genetic mutation of the X chromosome
- Drugs
How is Immunodeficiency treated?
Treatment of immunodeficiency disorders typically involves taking preventative measures against infections and treating infections when they occur. Generally vaccines are given when available to prevent infections. Additionally, your child's physician will prescribe antibiotics and antivirals when needed. In certain cases immune globulin and stem cell transplantation may also be recommended.
Other Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Kawasaki Disease or Kawasaki syndrome causes inflammation in the walls of smaller blood vessels. Symptoms include high fever, swollen hands and feet with peeling, and red eyes and tongue.
Meningitis & encephalitis are inflammatory diseases of the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain that are caused by bacterial or viral infection. Symptoms include sudden fever, vomiting, headache, stick neck and back among others.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that destroys or impairs cells in the immune system and progressively reduces the body's ability to fight infections. Symptoms can include swollen lymph nodes, pneumonia, oral thrush and more.
