Toxemia

TOXEMIA, or toxinemia, the circulation in the blood of animals of toxic substances that cause phenomena of intoxication. T. is observed for the most part in infectious diseases, developing here due to bacterial toxins and endotoxins. It is incorrect, however, to see toxic substances only in these latter. Such can also be various proper substances of the organism, arising in tissues during various pathological processes due to the breakdown of these tissues, various disturbances of metabolism in them, etc. To the clinical manifestations of T. are attributed the temperature reaction and other so-called general phenomena, in particular from the side of the central nervous system. In morphological terms, T. is expressed by one or another sum of degenerative and inflammatory processes at the sites of action of toxic substances, and the very site of action is dictated by the nature of the toxin, its selective affinity for certain organs, the excretory abilities of these organs in relation to these toxins, the sensitivity of tissues to these latter, etc.

Toxascaris leonina: a-anterior end; b-egg.

To the clinical manifestations of T. are attributed the temperature reaction and other so-called general phenomena, in particular from the side of the central nervous system. In morphological terms, T. is expressed by one or another sum of degenerative and inflammatory processes at the sites of action of toxic substances, and the very site of action is dictated by the nature of the toxin, its selective affinity for certain organs, the excretory abilities of these organs in relation to these toxins, the sensitivity of tissues to these latter, etc.