Sepsis kills 52,000 people every year in the UK but not many people know about this condition.

It is caused by your body’s immune system responding abnormally to an infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. The infection can start anywhere in your body; it may be only in one part, or it may be widespread.
Your immune system usually works to fight any germs (bacteria, viruses, fungi), or to prevent infection. However, for reasons we don’t fully understand, sometimes the immune system goes into overdrive and starts to attack our organs and other tissues. It can happen as a response to any injury or infection, anywhere in the body. It can result from:

• a chest infection causing pneumonia
• a urine infection in the bladder
• a problem in the abdomen, such as a burst ulcer or a hole in the bowel
• an infected cut or bite
• a wound from trauma or surgery
• a leg ulcer or cellulitis

Sepsis can be caused by a huge variety of different germs, like streptococcus, e-coli, MRSA or C diff. Most cases are caused by common bacteria, which normally don’t make us ill.

The Sepsis Trust exists to fight this life-threatening condition, stop preventable deaths and support those affected by sepsis. Find out more.