Sepsis is one of the most common diseases worldwide, leading to organ failure, shock, and death, especially if it is not diagnosed early.
It is an extreme response of the body's immune system to any type of infection with up to 50 million cases reported yearly, according to the World Health Organisation.
The significance of World Sepsis Day marked on September 13 each year is to raise awareness on the various viral, bacterial and fungal infections associated with sepsis - a condition that causes an estimated 11 million deaths yearly.
Easily triggered
Any infection anywhere can cause sepsis. Be it viral, bacterial or fungal, some common causes of sepsis include skin infections, lung infections such as pneumonia or urinary tract infections.
Every single organ can be infected with a microorganism that can lead to sepsis, which becomes severe and life threatening when the infection moves out of the organ and starts to circulate through the bloodstream.
Slurred speech
The symptoms of sepsis can vary from dizziness due to low blood pressure to fever, confusion or mental disorientation, shortness of breath and low oxygen levels.
Other symptoms include slurred speech, severe muscle pain and less urine production – for example, not urinating for a day.
Quick diagnosis
For every hour sepsis goes untreated, the risk of death increases by about 8%. Therefore, for rapid diagnosis, a good clinical history of the patient is very important.
Detailed blood test will reveal sepsis but such tests often take days, meaning a patient can, in the meantime, succumb to sepsis. Clinicians must therefore have a strong sense of suspicion to quickly diagnose and prescribe the appropriate medication.
Timely treatment
Fluids, antibiotics and source control (removing or treating the source of infection, such as an abscess) are the cornerstone of sepsis treatment, which should ideally start within three hours of a suspected diagnosis.
Antibiotics are often prescribed to target the suspected organism but the administered medication should initially be broad in coverage and then narrowed down once the organism is identified.
Who is at risk?
Body’s extreme reaction causes damage to its own tissues and organs, experts say.
''Sepsis can affect anyone, but people who are older, very young, pregnant or have other health problems are at higher risk,'' according to the WHO.
Patients above 65 years and those with compromised immunity have a higher likelihood of developing life-threatening sepsis.
Other risk factors include recent intensive care unit admission, diabetes, obesity, cancer, pneumonia, and previous recent hospitalisation. Genetic predisposition is also a factor.
