Today is World Sepsis Day!
Held on September 13th every year, it is and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against sepsis. Sepsis accounts for at least 8 million deaths worldwide annually. Yet, depending on country and education, sepsis is known only to 7–50% of the people. Likewise, it is poorly known that sepsis can be prevented by vaccination and clean care and that early recognition and treatment reduces sepsis mortality by 50%. This lack of knowledge makes sepsis the number one preventable cause of death worldwide.
Every 3-4 seconds someone dies of sepsis
. Sepsis is a major cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries and affects millions of hospitalized patients in high-income countries.
In the community, sepsis often presents as the clinical deterioration of common and preventable infections such as those of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urinary tract, or of wounds and skin. Sepsis is frequently under-diagnosed at an early stage – when it still is potentially reversible.
World Sepsis Day was initiated by the Global Sepsis Alliance in 2012 with the aim to raise awareness for sepsis worldwide.