► EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES & TOOLS
- Sepsis is a global healthcare problem with a high risk of death.
- It is more common than a heart attack and claims more lives than any cancer.
- It may lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and death, especially if not recognized early and treated promptly.
- Yet, worldwide, fewer than 50% of lay people have heard the word sepsis.
- Although sepsis is preventable, it is still poorly understood.
- Since approximately 70% of sepsis cases start in the community and outside the hospital, early recognition of the warning signs and symptoms of sepsis is critical.
What causes sepsis?
- Sepsis is always triggered by an infection most often caused by a bacteria but also by fungi, viruses, and parasites.
- Sepsis occurs when the body's response to the infection goes out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs, ultimately leading to organ failure and septic shock.
How many people get sepsis?
- Sepsis strikes an estimated 30 million people per year worldwide
- In the developing world, sepsis affects more than 6 million newborns and children annually
How bad is it?
- Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency.
- It claims the lives of 1 in every 3 patients treated for sepsis in Intensive Care Units.
- Around 6-8 million people die of sepsis every year, making it the primary cause of death from infection.
- Sepsis mortality can be reduced by 50% through early recognition and evidence based treatment.
What can be done?
- WORLD SEPSIS DAY VISION is “A World Free of Sepsis” and its mission is to reduce sepsis incidence by 20% by 2020.
- Increase awareness: sepsis is preventable ⇒ education is key to prevent, diagnose and treat sepsis early.
- Act quickly ⇒ mortality increases with every hour of delayed or inappropriate treatment.
- Stop Sepsis: save lives ⇒ find out how you can help on World Sepsis Day website
bioMérieux is a proud official sponsor of World Sepsis Day on September 13th and has a long-standing commitment to the prevention and management of sepsis through dedicated diagnostic solutions and educational initiatives.
- WORLD SEPSIS DAY is organized by the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA),
a non-profit organization that supports healthcare givers in over 70 countries to better manage sepsis patients. - The World Health Assembly (WHA), the World Health Organization (WHO) decision-making body, adopted a resolution recognizing sepsis as a Global Health Priority and focused on improving the prevention, diagnosis, and management of sepsis.
- The WHO and GSA are hosting the free online World Sepsis Congress Spotlight on Maternal and Neonatal Sepsis on September 12th (the day before WSD) starting at 9:00 AM (EDT/New York time).
A key lecture in the congress program is “The Potential Use of Biomarkers in Antibiotic Stewardship” presented by Prof. Phillip Schuetz at the S4: Updates on Sepsis session starting at 2:00 PM (EDT/New York Time). - The Fourth edition of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC)
- New definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock
Early diagnosis of sepsis and guidance on antibiotic therapy
Implementing an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in 8 key steps
Blood Culture: a key investigation for diagnosis of bloodstream infections. Best Practices guide.
Sources:
- http://ww.world-sepsis-day.org/CONTENTPIC/2015_WSD_FactSheet_long_English.pdf
- http://www.sepsis.org/sepsis/symptoms/
- Reinhart et. Al, Recognizing Sepsis as a Global Health Priority- A WHO resolution.
N Engl J Med 2017; 377:414-417August 3, 2017