Etta James is back in the hospital fighting a potentially lethal infection.

The legendary soul singer has been plagued with health problems in recent years, with her ailments ranging from Alzheimer's disease and kidney failure to leukemia. Earlier this week, the 73-year-old was admitted into an undisclosed Southern California hospital for treatment of sepsis, a deadly blood poisoning, and a urinary tract infection.

"It was a really bad infection. Right now, she's doing a lot better," said Etta's son Sametto James.

Sepsis occurs when the immune system overloads in fighting infections. The body releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight the infection, but instead causes inflammation that can lead to blood clots, organ failure or a drastic drop in blood pressure.

Her son told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that his mother was expected to remain hospitalized "as long as it takes to clear her infections."

James was hospitalized for similar symptoms in early 2010, after canceling several concerts in the months prior. At the turn of 2011, the 'At Last' singer's husband filed revealing court documents that shocked the world with the news she was battling cancer and noted she was unable to tend for herself.



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