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Sepsis is our number one quality priority: Day 26 of our campaign

November 26, 2018

Message from Tranprit Saluja, Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Prevention & Control Doctor

Sepsis is the body’s systemic inflammatory response to microbial infection which can cause organ damage, shock, and high mortality. Sepsis can occur after an infection, whether it’s bacterial, viral, or fungal. Common infections that turn into sepsis include urinary tract infections, pneumonia, abdominal infections, and skin infections.

Blood culture remains one of the most important investigations in the management of sepsis. It allows identification of the responsible organism for sepsis, appropriate choice of empirical and specific antibiotics and points toward further investigations required to identify the focus of infection.

Antibiotic resistance is an increasingly serious threat to global public health. Managing sepsis and antibiotic stewardship is guided by laboratory findings, by knowledge of local pathogens and patterns of antimicrobial resistance, and clinical judgment.  In order to maximize the benefit of prompt antimicrobial therapy and avoid the risk associated with inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents, patients with suspected sepsis must be rapidly differentiated from patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) with a combination with standard microbiological testing and rapid diagnostics.

There are some fundamental steps that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of sepsis developing from an infection across all of the at-risk groups

  • Good hand hygiene and handwashing techniques amongst the professionals that will help to reduce the spread of infection.
  • Secondary bacterial infection leading to sepsis is a known complication of influenza (flu), particularly in at-risk groups. Achieving high uptake of flu vaccination in target groups (pregnant women, over 65s, those in care homes and some with long-term conditions) will reduce the likelihood of at-risk groups suffering from influenza and possible sepsis as a result.
  • Vaccination has major role in prevention of sepsis. The high uptake of childhood vaccination for Haemophilus influenza type B, meningococcal serogroup C and pneumococcal infection has not only protected the children who are vaccinated but has also reduced the circulation of these organisms in the community that can cause sepsis. Vaccination against viral infections – including measles and influenza – has also massively reduced the risk of secondary bacterial infection. Vaccines uptake should be encouraged to reduce risk of infection and sepsis.
  • To increase global awareness of antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the, health care professionals and general public to prevent the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.