blood poisoning - invasion of the bloodstream by virulent microorganisms from a focus of infectionsepsis - the presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues childbed fever, puerperal fever - serious form of septicemia contracted by a woman during childbirth or abortion (usually attributable to unsanitary conditions); formerly widespread but now uncommon pyaemia, pyemia - septicemia caused by pus-forming bacteria released from an abscess toxaemia, toxemia - blood poisoning caused by bacterial toxic substances in the blood fowl cholera - an acute diarrheal disease (especially of chickens) caused by the microorganism that causes hemorrhagic septicemia shipping fever, shipping pneumonia - a deadly form of septicemia in cattle and sheep; involves high fever and pneumonia; contracted under conditions of exposure or exhaustion (as often happens when the animals are shipped to market) |