Good for you. I'll be honest, I knew nothing about Sepsis until I followed your links.
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Sepsis is a life threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. Sepsis leads to shock, multiple organ failure and death especially if not recognized early and treated promptly.
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An infection is the presence of a microorganism (‘germ’) in a part of the body where it can cause harm. This harm may be of little consequence, for example, a common cold, or it may be more significant, for example the pain and misery caused by an abscess. In more serious cases, sepsis develops.
When controlled, this process helps to seal off and fight an infection – for example, when you get a splinter. When this response becomes uncontrolled, inflammation affects the entire body and can lead to organ failure: this is known as the sepsis syndrome.
Therefore, sepsis is better thought of as the body’s severe response to an infection than a severe infection. Your healthcare professional can identify sepsis using a set of precise diagnostic criteria.
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Microorganisms causing sepsis are usually, but not exclusively, bacteria. It is not exactly clear why some people develop sepsis while others do not, but the type of bacteria, previous exposure to antibiotics, presence of other illnesses and genetics may all play a part.
Sepsis may be uncomplicated, in which case it may be appropriate to treat a patient at home, or it may develop into severe sepsis or septic shock. These will require care in a hospital, often involving Intensive Care.
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