Sepsis and Bacterial Infections

Bacteria are microscopic single-cell microorganisms (microbes) that are all around us. Most are harmless, and many are helpful. For example, bacteria in your intestines (gut) help break down the food you eat so your body can digest it. However, some types of bacteria can cause bacterial infections, which in turn can cause sepsis.

Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body’s life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.

Suggested Citation:
Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Bacterial Infections. 2025. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/bacterial-infections/

Reviewed May 9, 2025.

 

More About Bacterial Infections

Examples

Bacteria must enter your body for them to cause an infection. So you can get a bacterial infection through an opening in your skin, such as a cut, a bug bite, or a surgical wound. Bacteria can also enter your body through your airway and cause infections like bacterial pneumonia. Other types of bacterial infections include urinary tract infections (including bladder and kidney infections) and dental abscesses, as well as infections caused by MRSA, Group B Streptococcus, and C. Difficile. Infections can also occur in open wounds, such as pressure ulcers (bed sores). Pressure ulcers are caused by constant pressure on the skin for extended periods or rubbing. For example, a senior who is bedridden could develop sores on the coccyx (tailbone) area, elbows, heels, or anywhere else where there is constant contact with a bed or adapted “easy chair.”

The name of one type of infection, septic arthritis, may be confusing to some people because it is not sepsis, despite its name. Septic arthritis is an infection in the joint fluid. However, this type of infection can also lead to sepsis. It can be caused by bacteria, as well as other microbes.

Sometimes bacterial infections are “secondary infections.” For example, if you contract COVID-19 – a virus – your body is in a weakened state and could also develop bacterial pneumonia. You would then be fighting both a viral infection and a bacterial one.

Symptoms

Bacterial infections present in many ways, depending on the part of the body affected. If you have bacterial pneumonia, you may experience

  • Fever
  • Cough, with phlegm
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Shaking chills
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Fatigue
  • Chest pain with breathing

If you have a urinary tract infection, you may have some of these symptoms:

  • Sudden and extreme urges to void (pass urine)
  • Frequent urges to void
  • Burning, irritation, or pain as you void
  • A feeling of not emptying your bladder completely
  • A feeling of pressure in your abdomen or lower back
  • Thick or cloudy urine – it may contain blood
  • Fever

The common element with most bacterial infections are:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Pain or discomfort in the affected area

But if the infection is in a joint, that joint and the surrounding area will likely hurt; if you have a sinus infection, you will probably have a headache and foul nasal discharge, and so on.

Prevention

Not all infections can be prevented, but the chances of spreading these infections can be greatly reduced by following these tips:

  • Wash your hands often, particularly if you are in a healthcare facility.
  • Keep wounds clean and covered.
  • Avoid sharing personal items, such as razors.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Malnutrition, not consuming enough nutrients for your needs, can lower your body’s ability to fight
Treatment

Most often, treatment for a bacterial infection is with antibiotics. They could be taken orally (by pill, liquid, or capsule), injection, drops, topical (cream or ointment), or intravenously (by IV). The treatment may be very short, or it could go as long as several weeks, depending on the type of infection and how it reacts to the antibiotics. Sometimes, the infection will not go away, and your doctor may have to try a different type of antibiotic.

Celebrities

Actress Ashley Park was treated for tonsillitis that progressed to sepsis. Other celebrities, like singer Chris Young and radio personality Casey Kasem, developed wound infections. Learn about more celebrities who had sepsis here.

 

Related Resources

Sepsis and Bacterial Infections – Chinese

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Sepsis and Bacterial Infections – Tagalog

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LA SEPSIS Y LAS INFECCIONES DENTALES

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LA SEPSIS Y LAS INFECCIONES BACTERIANAS

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Information Guide

Prevention

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Meningitis

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Dental Infections

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Information Guide

Cellulitis

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Information Guide

C. difficile

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Bacterial Infections

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Appendicitis

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Rose Aumen

As a registered nurse, I knew when assessing patients in the Emergency Room the appearance/signs/symptoms of sepsis. I never thought I would become a sepsis patient myself. I was in pretty good health for a 65-year-old female. March of 2024 I had chills that morning, My right leg was hurting the day before and was still somewhat painful but tolerable. I took two Tylenol and went back to bed. After resting I felt pretty good, Later that evening I suddenly was unable to walk and had severe pain in my right hip. Bacteremia and sepsis took over my entire body. ... Read Full Story

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Alyvia C.

Towards the beginning if this year, I came down with what was believed to be strep. My illness consisted of swollen lymph nodes, tonsils, and a sore throat. I was in bed for days. I began feeling better after I went to an urgent care in my town and started on antibiotics. Stupidly, I didn’t finish my round of antibiotics because I began to feel better. (Sepsis and Strep Throat) About a week later, I started experiencing extreme pain in my left lung. Thinking it was muscle spasms, I ignored it. After suffering from the pain for a week, I ... Read Full Story

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David Blankenship

My father died tragically and unexpectedly of sepsis on March 5th, 2024. It is now September 15th, yet we all feel like it was yesterday. Mom and Daddy lived in Harlingen, Texas. He struggled with Type 2 diabetes and a few other health issues and was always checking his sugar and blood pressure numbers and diligently recording them. After my father died, I moved back to Harlingen to live with my mother. My sister lives in Colorado. On February 25th, a mere 10 days before Daddy died, Mom was scheduled to perform in a pageant. Daddy was going to help ... Read Full Story

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Emma Stephan

Emma touched countless lives in her short but vibrant 13 years. She was a friend who truly listened, a shoulder to cry on, a mentor to her peers, and the one who could always make you laugh with a perfectly timed joke. She jumped into the pool with the biggest splash, played board games late into the night, and could be found flipping through the air wherever she went. Gymnastics was her passion, but so was adventure—whether it was exploring outside in the snow, traveling to new places, or simply saying “yes” to any opportunity for fun. She loved to ... Read Full Story

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Brandon B.

Shortly after Hurricane Beryl hit Houston, Tx in July 2024, our (23yo) son diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a rare neuro-genetic disease, began to exhibit signs of illness. When someone you love is unable to communicate it’s one of the most difficult challenges you face as a caregiver. Initially we thought Brandon’s behavior changes were a sign of frustration due to the extended power outages in our area. Then came a sudden onset of 103 degree fever with increasing agitation. We immediately took him to the ER for assessment which revealed an ear infection and kidney stone. Shortly after arriving he ... Read Full Story

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Other Topics

Bacterial Infections