sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency caused by the body’s extreme and overactive response to an infection. It occurs when the immune system goes into overdrive, triggering widespread inflammation that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death if not treated promptly.

The most common causes of sepsis in children are bacterial infections, accounting for over 80% of pediatric sepsis cases. Viral infections can also lead to sepsis in children, though less commonly than bacterial causes.

The mortality rate for septic shock is around 30-40 percent.

In 2021, there were 30,495 cases of hospital-acquired sepsis reported across California hospitals, a 46% increase compared to 2019 levels.

The rise is sepsis deaths could be attributed to the reluctance of young doctors to prescribe antibiotics early due to a bias inculcated in them during medical training regarding antibiotic resistance. Ironically, veterinarians have shown no reluctance in loosely prescribing antibiotics to pets experiencing minor ailments such as ear infections.