Which condition is a severe illness caused by overwhelming infection of the bloodstream by toxin-producing bacteria?

• A. Toxemia
• B. Sepsis
• C. Asepsis
• D. Septicemia

Answer: (B)

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's response to an infection becomes extreme, often driven by bacteria in the bloodstream releasing toxins that trigger widespread inflammation and can lead to organ dysfunction. This fits the description of a severe illness caused by overwhelming infection of the bloodstream by toxin-producing bacteria because the danger comes from the body's amplified reaction to infection and the presence of toxins in the blood, not merely the presence of bacteria itself. It differs from septicemia, which emphasizes bacteria in the blood, from toxemia, which implies toxins in the blood without infection, and from asepsis, which means there is no infection.