Question

Why is the lactic acid test done when sepsis is suspected?
Explain why the body produces excess lactic acid during sepsis (Be sure to cover all possibilities).
How does this relate to fermentation and final electron acceptors during metabolism?

Answer 1

Lactic acid test is done to identify the presence of lactate in the blood which is produces when there are low oxygen levels in body. In presence of normal oxygen level in body carbohydrate in broken down in water and carbon dioxide but in absence of oxygen carbohydrate are broken down in lactic acid leading in accumulation of lactate which is can be identified in lactic acid test.

Sepsis is a condition seen during severe blood infection or an injury. The initial symptoms of sepsis include high fever, rapid breathing and high pulse and in severe case of sepsis the symptoms include slurred speech, dizziness and confusion.

   As in case of infection the number of microorganisms increase in the blood and in response to this blood cells release a large amount of cytokines which result in dilation of blood vessels and increase blood flow to the site of infection due to immune response and this increase blow flow decrease blood pressure thus affecting oxygen carrying capacity in blood and with low levels of oxygen in blood more amount of lactate is produced due to unavailability of oxygen.

   In aerobic conditions where oxygen is abundant water and carbon dioxide is produced but in case of anaerobic conditions excess of hydrogen acts as electron donor and combines with NAD to from lactate acid and additional H ions combines with NADH and later oxidizes to NAD forming alcohol.