Is a blood infection the same as sepsis and how is sepsis diagnosed?

Yes & no: Bacteremia is the label used when bacteria is found in the blood. Sepsis is the common body response to bacteria in the blood when it triggers various chemicals to react & trigger such symptoms as low blood pressure, poor blood flow to vital organs, etc. You can have a similar response to fungus in the blood (fungemia). You can have bacteremia without sepsis but not sepsis without blood invader