INFECTIOUS RISK AND PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY. A CASE OF SEPSIS IN A YOUNG WOMAN

Francesco La Sala¹, Bartolo Caggiano² 

¹Department of Prevention, ASL Avellino, Avellino, Italy - ²Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy

Introduction: In recent decades, increasing attention has been paid to controlling the risks deriving from medical as-sistance. Sepsis is a pathological state in which there is disseminated infection in the bloodstream and this entails an important risk for the life of patients.

Case presentation: A 39-year-old woman experienced abdominal pain and fever. Over the next few hours she showed signs of syncope and disorientation. She herself was splenectomized but despite this she was not initiated early on antibiotic therapy and this led to her death.

Discussion: Sepsis represents a significant risk factor in patients and must be recognized early and treated through the infusion of appropriate and adequate early antibiotic therapy.