What does septicaemia mean?
Septicaemia is a medical term for a severe infection involving the bloodstream, usually caused by bacteria or their toxins. The condition can spread rapidly and may lead to shock, organ failure, or death without prompt treatment. In everyday British English, it is often called blood poisoning, although that expression is less precise and can also refer to poisoning by other substances. The related US spelling is septicemia. Septicaemia is distinct from sepsis, which describes the body's general response to infection, though medical discussions sometimes use the terms interchangeably. The word is normally used in formal and clinical contexts rather than in casual conversation.
nounA serious condition in which bacteria or their toxins enter the bloodstream, causing infection throughout the body. It is a potentially life-threatening form of blood poisoning.
- A serious systemic infection in which microorganisms, especially bacteria, or their toxins are present in the bloodstream.
"The doctor treated the patient's septicaemia with intravenous antibiotics."
"The infection spread and developed into septicaemia."
"Early treatment is essential if septicaemia is suspected."
The usual plural in modern English is septicaemias.
"The article reported several severe cases of septicaemias."
Septicaemia is the British name for what Americans usually call septicemia: a bloodstream infection that can become life-threatening in hours.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does septicaemia come from?
The word was formed in New Latin from elements meaning septic, or infected, and -aemia, from Greek haima, meaning blood. Its underlying vocabulary comes from Greek roots associated with decay, infection, and blood. Modern forms such as septicaemic and septicaemically were subsequently derived from the same base.
Related word forms
How septicaemia is actually used
The term is formal and chiefly British; US English normally uses septicemia. In clinical usage, septicaemia is sometimes distinguished from sepsis, although the terms may overlap in practice.
Easily confused with septicaemia
Sepsis is the body's systemic response to infection, whereas septicaemia specifically refers to infection or bacteria and their toxins being present in the bloodstream.