n.
A condition in which the blood contains toxins produced by body cells at a local source of infection or derived from the growth of microorganisms. Also called blood poisoning.
toxemic tox·e'mic adj.
toxemia
Dictionary:
tox·e·mi·a (tŏk-sē'mē-ə)  |
| 5min Related Video: toxemia |
| Columbia Encyclopedia: toxemia |
toxemia (tŏksē'mēə), disease state caused by the presence in the blood of bacterial toxins or other harmful substances. The effects of the bacterial toxins known as endotoxins are relatively uniform, regardless of which bacterial species the toxin comes from, and are separate from the effects caused by the infecting bacterium itself. A small amount of endotoxin (released by dead bacteria) produces one or more fever episodes, thought to be caused by release of a fever-inducing substance from damaged white blood cells. Large quantities of endotoxin cause shock and death. Exotoxins are proteins released by bacteria that have specific effects on target tissues, e.g., botulinus toxin affects the nervous system. See also septicemia.
The term toxemia is also used for a disorder occurring during the latter half of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, the appearance of protein in the urine, and edema. If not treated it can result in convulsions and coma. The cause of toxemia of pregnancy has not been established with certainty. See also eclampsia.
| Veterinary Dictionary: toxemic |
Emanating from or pertaining to toxemia.
- t. agalactia — see mastitis–metritis–agalactia.
- t. jaundice — a complex of diseases in sheep including phytogenous chronic copper poisoning in which copper accumulation is fostered by copper converter plants such as subterranean clover, hepatogenous chronic copper poisoning, a combination of copper and plant poisoning, and simple poisoning by the same plants without any copper component. The clinical signs include jaundice, toxemia, possibly severe anemia.
- t. shock — caused by the presence of large quantities of potent toxins in the bloodstream. They cause peripheral vasodilatation and a precipitate fall in blood pressure accompanied by mucosal pallor, hypothermia, tachycardia and muscle weakness, e.g. in coliform toxicosis.
Learn More
 | blood poisoning |
| radiotoxemia |
| scatemia |
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more |
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| Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more |
