Anyone can get sepsis, but the elderly, children, and infants are most vulnerable. People with weakened immune systems, severe burns, physical trauma, or long-term illnesses (such as diabetes, cancer, or liver disease) are also at increased risk.
Bacterial infections cause most cases of sepsis. Sepsis can also be a result of other infections, including viral infections, such as COVID-19 or influenza, or fungal infections.
Bacterial infections are one of the most common causes of sepsis. Fungal, parasitic and viral infections are also potential sepsis causes.
The Australian Sepsis NetworkExternal link reports that almost 5,000, of an estimated 18,000, Australians treated in an intensive care unit die each year as a result of sepsis.
Each year, the deadly disease takes 5,000 Australian lives — more than one person every two hours. It occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to infection, injuring tissues and organs. Yet 40 per cent of all Australians haven't even heard of the disease.
Sepsis is more common and more dangerous in those with other illnesses and in older adults. Some infections can no longer be eliminated with antibiotic drugs. Antibiotic-resistant infections can lead to sepsis. Organ transplants are more common.
Sepsis can be triggered by an infection in any part of the body. The most common sites of infection that lead to sepsis are the: lungs. urinary tract.
Sepsis can overwhelm the body. This can cause vital organs to shut down. This usually starts with the kidneys. Blood pressure can drop dangerously low.
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if:
a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis. difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast.
You cannot catch sepsis from another person. It happens when your body overreacts to an infection.
When treatment or medical intervention is missing, sepsis is a leading cause of death, more significant than breast cancer, lung cancer, or heart attack. Research shows that the condition can kill an affected person in as little as 12 hours.
Sepsis can develop quickly from initial infection and progress to septic shock in as little as 12 to 24 hours.1 You may have an infection that's not improving or you could even be sick without realizing it.
Sepsis is well known to cause a high patient death rate (up to 50%) during the intensive care unit (ICU) stay.
High heart rate or weak pulse. Fever, shivering, or feeling very cold. Confusion or disorientation. Shortness of breath.
It's clear that sepsis doesn't occur without an infection in your body, but it is possible that someone develops sepsis without realizing they had an infection in the first place. And sometimes, doctors never discover what the initial infection was.
Neonatal sepsis is divided into two groups based on the time of presentation after birth: early-onset sepsis (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS). EOS refers to sepsis in neonates at or before 72 hours of life ( some experts use seven days), and LOS is defined as sepsis occurring at or after 72 hours of life [2].
As sepsis worsens or septic shock develops, an early sign, particularly in older people or the very young, may be confusion or decreased alertness. Blood pressure decreases, yet the skin is paradoxically warm. Later, extremities become cool and pale, with peripheral cyanosis and mottling.
IMMEDIATE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT — Securing the airway (if indicated) and correcting hypoxemia, and establishing venous access for the early administration of fluids and antibiotics are priorities in the management of patients with sepsis and septic shock [3,4].
You may need to stay in hospital for several weeks.
Monitoring symptoms, being smart with antibiotics, and maintaining good hygiene are among the keys to avoiding the serious risks of sepsis. Symptoms of sepsis include a fever, a fast heart rate, and a fast respiratory rate.
Regardless of the cause, the pain can be severe and many survivors say it was the worst pain they had ever felt. Severe abdominal pain may also cause nausea and vomiting, which can in turn increase the pain and cause dehydration if you're not able to replace lost fluids.