Sepsis
Sepsis is arare but seriouscomplication of an infection.
Without quick treatment, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death.
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Symptoms in children under five
Symptoms in older children and adults
If your child has any of the symptoms listed below,is getting worse or is sicker than you'd expect (even if their temperature falls),trust your instincts and seekmedical advice urgently from NHS 111.
Temperature
Breathing
Toilet/nappies
Eating and drinking
Activity and body
If your child has any of these symptoms, isgetting worse or is sicker than you'd expect (even if their temperature falls), trust your instincts and seekmedical advice urgently from NHS 111.
Early symptoms of sepsis may include:
Insome cases,symptoms of more severe sepsis or Septic shock (when your blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level)develop soon after.
These can include:
Seek medical advice urgentlyfromNHS 111if you've recently had an infection or injury and you have possible early signs of sepsis.
If sepsis is suspected, you'll usually be referred to hospital for further diagnosis and treatment.
Severe sepsis and septic shock are medical emergencies. If you think you or someone in your care has one of these conditions, go straight to A&E orcall 999.
Sepsis is often diagnosed based on simple measurements such as your temperature, heart rate and breathing rate. You may need to give a blood test .
Other testscan help determine the type of infection, where it's located and which body functions have been affected. Theseinclude:
If sepsis is detected earlyand hasn't affected vital organs yet, it may be possible to treat the infection at home with antibiotics . Most people who have sepsis detected at this stage make a full recovery.
Almost all people with severe sepsis and septic shock require admission to hospital. Some peoplemay require admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) .
Becauseofproblems with vital organs, people with severe sepsis are likely to be very ill and the condition can befatal.
However, sepsis is treatableif it isidentified and treated quickly, and in most cases leads to a full recovery with no lasting problems.
Read moreabout treating sepsis .
Some people make a full recovery fairly quickly. The amount of time it takes to fully recover from sepsis varies, depending on:
Some people experience long-term physical and/or psychological problems during their recovery period, such as:
These long-term problems are known as post-sepsis syndrome . Not everyone experiences these problems.
Around 37,000 people die every year as a result of the condition.
Anyone can develop sepsis after an injury or minor infection, although some people are more vulnerable.
People most at risk of sepsis include those:
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Sepsis, also referred to as blood poisoning or septicaemia, is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection or injury.
Sepsis can be triggered by an infection in any part of the body. The most common sites of infection leading to sepsis are the lungs, urinary tract, tummy (abdomen) and pelvis.
Treatment for sepsis varies, depending on the site and cause of the initial infection, the organs affected and the extent of any damage.