Sepsis, a deadly overreaction of the immune system to infection, has befuddled clinicians and researchers for decades. Covid-19 made things worse. The early signs and symptoms of sepsis mimic those of both Covid-19 and influenza: fever, chills, dry cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and more. This overlap delays accurate diagnosis which, in the case of sepsis, can mean the difference between life and death.
Sepsis kills approximately 350,000 Americans a year, and as many as 11 million people globally. The U.S. spends an estimated $62 billion annually on sepsis treatment, making it the most expensive in-hospital therapeutic cost, and represents the most costly in-patient condition covered by Medicare. Early diagnosis is key to reducing the substantial burden of this condition.
By the time sepsis has been definitively diagnosed using traditional standard techniques, which can take between 24 to 72 hours, multisystem organ failure may have begun. Survivors of mild sepsis are at increased risk of developing future infections, while as many as 40% of those with severe sepsis and septic shock die. Every one-hour delay in administering targeted antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals after emergency department triage or the onset of organ dysfunction or shock increases the odds of a poor outcome by 3% to 7%. Identifying the source of the infection that is putting the immune system into overdrive is a key step in treatment.
Editor’s note: We are seeing reported in headlines often how ‘covid’ links to other diseases that have been around since way before the pandemic. Sepsis is said to be an overreaction of the immune system so once again there is a smoke and mirrors effect of what is actually making people sick. The body does not attack itself, it goes after infections. Encouraging more people to get inoculated with drugs doesn’t seem like the best option especially considering the number of children who face liver failure. — mmd