Sepsis is considered to be one of the life threatening conditions which require immediate and extensive medical care. Sepsis occurs as a result of severe degree of infection and the response of the immune system to it. In most of the cases the triggering infection is caused by bacteria, virus, fungi even parasites usually in the blood, urinary tract, skin or in the lungs.

High fever is one of the most common symptoms of sepsis; other common presenting symptoms include increased heart rate, flushing of skin, altered mental consciousness, fall in blood pressure etc. Often there are atypical presenting features of sepsis especially in elderly people, in children and also in people with poorly functioning immune system. Sepsis may progress to septic shock and it claims the lives of about 30 to 70% of the affected people.The mainstay of treatment is antibiotic therapy and adequate fluid replacement.

Causes
Sepsis can be caused by any variety of infection; namely bacterial, fungal, viral even parasitic. However the most commonly implicated organisms are bacterial in nature. Gram negative bacteria infection were the most common cause of sepsis previously however now-a-days gram positive bacterial infections especially Staphylococcal infections are thought be the cause of about 50% of the cases of sepsis.

Although infection triggering sepsis may occur in any of the organs of the body; the most commonly affected organ is the lungs (pneumonia). Despite all the above mentioned causes there is hardly any source of infection found in about 1 case out of 3 cases of sepsis.Currently worldwide especially in the western world the incidence of sepsis is on rise; this is because
1) Increased life span: with modern medical treatments (drugs and surgical procedures) and their easy availability the people especially in the developed countries are living for increased number of years and they are the most commonly affected people with sepsis. Thus the incidence of sepsis in increasing.
2) Infection by drug resistant bacteria: with injudicious and irrational use of antibiotics several resistant strains of previously susceptible bacteria have emerged. Thus infection with this resistant bacteria is very difficult to be treated thereby leading to increased susceptibility to sepsis in anyone infected with these organisms.
3) Poor functioning of the immune system: having weak immune system is another important risk factor for sepsis. Worldwide the health conditions which weaken the immune system are also increasing. These conditions include AIDS, people who are taking immunosuppressant drugs like those who are about to undergo organ transplant surgery or living with a transplanted organ etc, people who are taking corticosteroids for prolonged period like those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease etc. Thus the number of people susceptible to sepsis is also increasing resulting into increase incidence of sepsis.

Risk factors
Although anyone can suffer from sepsis, commonly affected people are
1) Those people belonging to extreme age groups (like elderly people and children)
2) Those people with poor functioning of the immune system
3) Those already suffering from chronic debilitating diseases especially those already being hospitalized for this.
4) People with invasive devices in their bodies like intravenous catheter or breathing tubes
5) Serious injury or wounds like people with extensive burn injury

Treatment
Early diagnosis and extensive treatment increases the chance of survival in the affected person. Hospitalization especially admission to an intensive care unit for regular monitoring is essential for adequate management of the affected people.
Treatment options include
1) Antibiotic drugs: at first broad spectrum empirical antibiotics are advised till the report of blood culture arrives (until the nature of the infecting bacteria is known). Based on the report doctors may change the antibiotic as per sensitivity of the infecting organisms.
2) Vasopressor agents: severe fall in blood pressure when can be managed adequately only with replacement of fluid can be managed with this vasopressor agents.
3) Supportive treatment: it includes dialysis if kidneys are not working adequately, use of ventilators if breathing is difficult etc
4) Surgery becomes a part of the treatment if there is any source of infection which can be removed like abcess filled with pus.
Other drugs include low dose of corticosteroids, insulin administration and large amount of fluid replacement etc.