Anti-(Sepsis)

Good evening readers,

13th September is World Sepsis Day, a day dedicated to educating communities about the importance of early recognition and treatment of sepsis.

Sepsis remains a major cause of mortality worldwide, with about 8.9 million cases and 11 million sepsis-related deaths worldwide, representing 20% of all global deaths in 2020. It is estimated that per 1000 hospitalized patients, 15 patients will develop sepsis as a complication of receiving health care.

Usually caused by bacteria, some common signs of sepsis include fever, fast heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, and body pain. It can lead to septic shock (a condition caused by an infection that leads to dangerously low blood pressure), multiple organ failure, and death.

Is Sepsis New?

The poems of Homer first mention the term Sepo, (literally, I rot) dating to over 2,700 years ago. Hippocrates viewed sepsis as a dangerous biological decay that could occur in the body. Galen, physician to the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, was the first to recognize that pus from wounds inflicted by the gladiators preceded wound healing.

The 1800s brought a shift in the understanding of sepsis with the discovery of Puerperal Sepsis (Childbed Fever) by Ignaz Semmelweiss, who would go on to establish a hand-washing policy (much to the ire of his colleagues).

Development of the germ theory throughout the 1800s and the works of Robert Koch & Louis Pasteur inspired Joseph Lister to use carbolic acid to sterilize surgical instruments and wounds. Lister would go on to theorize that wound sepsis occurred due to breaks in the skin as opposed to contagions in the air (refer to miasma theory).

It wasn't until the 20th century that a clear understanding of infection, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock would be established. Edward Frank, an American physician, would go on to develop the first septic shock management strategy; and the 1991 first sepsis conference would concretely define the terms sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.

Sepsis in the 21st Century

Sepsis acquired in health care settings is one of the most frequent adverse events during care delivery and affects hundreds of millions of patients worldwide every year.

The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major challenge in the treatment of sepsis. As more pathogens become resistant to available antibiotics, more people are at risk for developing sepsis, and there are fewer opportunities for successful treatment.

?? This week's SciGame is all about Sepsis! ????

Dive into the world of medical mysteries and challenge yourself with our latest science game focused on this critical condition. Test your knowledge, learn something new, and see if you can spot the signs before time runs out!

Best Wishes,

Team NeoDx