Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
1555 North 17th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
November 19, 2015
Contact: Eric Aakko
Public Information Officer
(970) 304-6470, ext. 2380; (970) 673-2893 (mobile); eaakko@weldgov.com
Body Art Leads to Sepsis Death in Weld County Man
Weld County, CO ? A Weld County adult male died from sepsis acquired from a tattoo given by an
unlicensed, home-based body artist. Sepsis is the body?s overwhelming and life-threatening response to
an infection which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. The rate of sepsis is increasing in
the country and 28% to 50% of people who acquire the infection die. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, over 258,000 Americans die from sepsis each year. ?Anyone can get
sepsis as a bad outcome from an infection,? said Dr. Mark E. Wallace, Executive Director of the Weld
County Health Department. Infections from body art procedures do occur. Body art includes tattoo,
piercing, branding, scarring, or subdermal implants.
Body art procedures are considered to be invasive because of the puncture or compromise of the skin,
and they carry the risk of communicating diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ?Other bacteria and viruses may be transmitted through contaminated
equipment, or the body art area may become infected as any other wound? said Wallace. In Weld
County, body art establishments are required to be licensed by the Health Department. Artists must
work within a licensed establishment that meets construction and sanitation standards. Any signs of
infection in a body art procedure should immediately be reported to the body art establishment, the
Health Department, and your health care provider.
There is no single sign or symptom of sepsis; rather, it?s a combination of symptoms. Since sepsis is the
result of an infection, symptoms can include general infection signs as well as any of the following:
shivering, fever, or very cold; extreme pain or general discomfort; pale or discolored skin; sleepy,
difficult to rouse or confused; a feeling that ?I feel like I might die,? and shortness of breath. Treatment
for sepsis is usually done in the hospital and involves antibiotics and may include oxygen and
intravenous (IV) fluids to maintain normal blood oxygen levels and blood pressure.
For more information visit www.weldhealth.org
http://www.co.weld.co.us/assets/aaC80c492292D9cb1430.pdf
1555 North 17th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
November 19, 2015
Contact: Eric Aakko
Public Information Officer
(970) 304-6470, ext. 2380; (970) 673-2893 (mobile); eaakko@weldgov.com
Body Art Leads to Sepsis Death in Weld County Man
Weld County, CO ? A Weld County adult male died from sepsis acquired from a tattoo given by an
unlicensed, home-based body artist. Sepsis is the body?s overwhelming and life-threatening response to
an infection which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. The rate of sepsis is increasing in
the country and 28% to 50% of people who acquire the infection die. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, over 258,000 Americans die from sepsis each year. ?Anyone can get
sepsis as a bad outcome from an infection,? said Dr. Mark E. Wallace, Executive Director of the Weld
County Health Department. Infections from body art procedures do occur. Body art includes tattoo,
piercing, branding, scarring, or subdermal implants.
Body art procedures are considered to be invasive because of the puncture or compromise of the skin,
and they carry the risk of communicating diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ?Other bacteria and viruses may be transmitted through contaminated
equipment, or the body art area may become infected as any other wound? said Wallace. In Weld
County, body art establishments are required to be licensed by the Health Department. Artists must
work within a licensed establishment that meets construction and sanitation standards. Any signs of
infection in a body art procedure should immediately be reported to the body art establishment, the
Health Department, and your health care provider.
There is no single sign or symptom of sepsis; rather, it?s a combination of symptoms. Since sepsis is the
result of an infection, symptoms can include general infection signs as well as any of the following:
shivering, fever, or very cold; extreme pain or general discomfort; pale or discolored skin; sleepy,
difficult to rouse or confused; a feeling that ?I feel like I might die,? and shortness of breath. Treatment
for sepsis is usually done in the hospital and involves antibiotics and may include oxygen and
intravenous (IV) fluids to maintain normal blood oxygen levels and blood pressure.
For more information visit www.weldhealth.org
http://www.co.weld.co.us/assets/aaC80c492292D9cb1430.pdf