CORRELATION OF MICROBIAL ETIOLOGY, HEMATOLOGICAL AND DERMATOLOGICAL CHANGES ALONG WITH HISTOPATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH SEPSIS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Sepsis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in tertiary‐care hospitals, yet comprehensive correlations between microbial aetiology, hematological and dermatological alterations, and histopathological findings remain under‐explored. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships among microbial pathogens isolated from blood and tissue cultures, hematologic parameters (including total leukocyte count, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio, platelet count), dermatologic manifestations (rash, purpura, petechiae, skin necrosis) and histopathological tissue changes in patients with sepsis admitted to a tertiary centre. In a prospective cohort of 120 adult patients meeting Sepsis‐3 criteria, positive cultures were obtained in 78 (65 %) cases: Gram-negative bacilli accounted for 43 %, Gram-positive cocci 35 %, and mixed/ fungal isolates 22 %. Patients with Gram-negative sepsis demonstrated significantly higher neutrophil–lymphocyte ratios (mean 12.4 ± 4.3) and more frequent dermatologic involvement (42 %) compared to Gram-positive cases (mean 8.1 ± 3.7; dermatologic involvement 21 %; p < 0.01). Histopathology of skin and organ biopsies revealed microvascular thrombosis and leukocytoclasia more commonly in those with dermatologic signs (p = 0.02). Thrombocytopenia (<100×10^9 /L) correlated with microvascular necrosis (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that specific microbial classes may drive distinct hematologic‐dermatologic‐histologic signatures in sepsis. Recognition of such patterns could enable earlier tailored interventions and prognostic stratification.