Researchers Want Sepsis To Be Recognized As A Separate Cause Of Illness And Death

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Researchers argue in a commentary in Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) that sepsis should be recognized as a separate cause of illness and death around the world.

They believe that the focus would boost efforts to prevent sepsis by improving hygiene, nutrition and vaccination rates. It could also help in timely treatment, better outcomes and quality of life for persons with the condition.

Sepsis is a condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injuries to its own tissues and organs. It is accompanied by symptoms such as fever, increased heart rate and confusion. It accounts for 25-30 percent of hospital deaths, 40-50 percent in patients with other complications and people in low-income generating countries.

Sepsis can result from immune response triggered by infections such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites which can be found in the lungs, brain, urinary tract, skin and abdominal organs.

The most common causes are malaria and infections in the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, according to Science Daily. It can be treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

"Despite its burden, sepsis is not well recognized as a leading cause of death in its own right," according to Dr. Niranjan Kissoon, a member of the Global Sepsis Alliance and a researcher at the University of British Columbia and British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC and his colleagues.

The researchers emphasized that efforts to prevent sepsis are of great importance, especially in low-income generating countries where health care facilities are few and in shambles.

However, more focus on identifying the signs and symptoms of sepsis in patients will help to ensure that healthcare providers recognize that the patient is seriously ill in order to begin rapid mobilization of life saving therapies, according to Eurekalert.

 They added that developing a framework around the condition will pave way for hospitals to develop care plans and also to monitor, evaluate and improve on timely delivery to affected person.

The authors concluded that shifting the spotlight to sepsis as an entity of its own, could set the stage for an increased response to the important global contributor to the burden of death and diseases.