Definition

The condition where bacteria are found in the bloodstream.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with bacteremia after the blood tests showed the presence of bacteria.

Conversation

Did you hear about the patient who had bacteremia?

No, what happened?

They had to be treated quickly since it can be quite serious.

Yikes, that sounds really concerning!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bacteremia → It is formed from "bacterium" (from Greek "bakterion", meaning rod or staff, referring to the shape of certain bacteria) and "-emia" (from Greek "haima", meaning blood). The word "bacteremia" refers to the presence of bacteria in the blood.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bacterium' as a 'rod' and '-emia' as 'blood' — this helps you remember that bacteremia means the presence of bacteria in the blood.

Visually Confused Words