Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It can arise from infection anywhere in the body and requires urgent recognition and treatment, as it can rapidly progress to organ failure and death.

• Fever or, in some cases, an abnormally low body temperature
• Fast heart rate and fast breathing
• Confusion or altered mental state
• Low blood pressure and signs of poor circulation, such as cold, mottled skin or reduced urine output
• Extreme illness or weakness, often with a clear or suspected source of infection

• Can arise from bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infection anywhere in the body — common sources include pneumonia, urinary tract infection, abdominal infection, skin infection, or infection following childbirth.
• Risk is increased at the extremes of age, in pregnancy, with chronic illness such as diabetes, and with weakened immunity.

• Recognised through a combination of signs suggesting infection together with evidence of organ dysfunction, such as confusion, low blood pressure, or fast breathing.
• Blood tests, cultures, and other investigations are used to identify the site and cause of infection and assess organ function, but treatment should begin urgently based on clinical suspicion rather than waiting for full results.

Sepsis is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospital-level care, with early treatment significantly improving survival.

Broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics are started as soon as possible, ideally within the first hour of recognition, and later adjusted once the source and causative organism are identified.

Intravenous fluids are given promptly to support blood pressure and organ perfusion, with close monitoring of the response.

Any identifiable source of infection — such as an abscess needing drainage — is addressed urgently alongside antibiotic treatment.

Patients with severe sepsis or shock require close monitoring, often in a high-dependency or intensive care setting, as they can deteriorate rapidly.

• Seek prompt treatment for infections rather than allowing them to worsen untreated.
• Complete the full course of prescribed antibiotics for diagnosed infections.
• Ensure wounds and injuries are kept clean to reduce the risk of infection.
• Seek immediate emergency care for fever with confusion, fast breathing, or feeling extremely unwell, particularly in young children, older adults, or anyone with a known infection that is worsening.