| Noun | 1. | septicaemia - invasion of the bloodstream by virulent microorganisms from a focus of infection sepsis - the presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues blood disease, blood disorder - a disease or disorder of the blood 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 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) |