Sepsis Awareness September
As September is Sepsis Awareness Month, we spoke to Oliver Jones, Lead Support Nurse at the UK Sepsis Trust, and Ulrika Knutsson, Founder and CEO/Secretary-general at Sweden’s Sepsisfonden, to give us the facts on sepsis.
The UK Sepsis Trust was founded in 2012 and aims to save lives from sepsis and improve outcomes for those affected. It does this by raising public awareness, educating healthcare professionals, and supporting those affected with a nurse-led helpline.
Sweden’s Sepsisfonden will be ten years old this September (2025), and their efforts focus on lobbying the government to address the issue of sepsis, raising awareness to the general public through media and campaigns, and raising money for sepsis research.
Sepsis seems to be in the news a lot recently. Why is that?
Oliver Jones – It’s a combination of things. Firstly, more accurate diagnoses and recording by clinicians, but also awareness has improved amongst the general population, in part due to the work by The UK Sepsis Trust. There has also been substantial media coverage and even in storylines in several national soap operas. Plus, displaying signs and symptoms on the side of ambulances reaches lots of people.
Ulrika Knutsson - We have certainly played a part in that, especially with the media. And it was a mission to get people to actually use the word sepsis. Up until about two years ago, it was still more common for people to call it blood poisoning, we’ve worked to change that, and today sepsis is the word mostly used. Our survey with YouGov in 2015 showed that only 21% of Swedes had heard of sepsis at that time. This year that result is at 73%., so that’s a good outcome. We’ve worked hard on educating the public and making them use the message: ‘could this be sepsis?’ and it seems to be hitting home. And although we’re a Swedish organisation, the information on our website is available in all Nordic languages.
What is the size of the problem?
UK - In Sweden, we’re seeing 50,000 cases a year, the same frequency as all types of cancer. Twenty per cent of people will pass away within three months, and although limb loss is not that common, it can happen.
OJ - Pre-COVID, in January 2020, a study by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) found that Sepsis affects 50 million people with 11 million deaths per year. That’s the equivalent of 20% of global deaths. In the UK, an estimated 245,000 people develop sepsis each year, and an estimated 48,000 lives lost.
What are the causes of Sepsis?
OJ – Rather than being something that you contract, sepsis is the way the body responds to an infection. It starts with infection, then the immune system, which normally helps to protect us, goes into overdrive and causes injury to tissue and organs. If we don’t stop it, it can start to cause problems with the blood supply. This can lead to shock, multi-organ failure, and sometimes limb loss and death. Common infections that can give rise to sepsis include chest infections, soft tissue infections, a UTI, abdominal infections, or viral infections like COVID or the flu.
UK - We say it’s like setting off an atomic bomb in your own country. You’ll certainly get rid of the enemy, but you’ll hurt your own population, too. Sepsis can affect anyone, at any age, but there are certain risk groups, like older people and people with underlying conditions. In fact, about 20% of all sepsis cases in Sweden are people undergoing cancer treatment.
What are the symptoms that people should look out for?
UK - No one gets all the symptoms, but they range from rapid breathing, confusion, slurred speech, vomiting and diarrhoea, extreme shivering and fever, extreme pain, and mottled skin. The symptoms vary from person to person, but always think, ‘could this be sepsis?’
OJ – In the early stages, there are some clues, such as feeling abnormally unwell for a prolonged period. In more advanced cases, we refer to the acronym SEPSIS:
- Slurred speech
- Extreme shivering and muscle pain
- Passing no urine
- Severe breathlessness
- It feels like you’re going to die
- Skin that is mottled, discoloured, and pale
Any of these symptoms needs a 999 call.
How do people prevent Sepsis?
UK - In short, hand washing, clean any wounds thoroughly, and get vaccinated, especially if you’re over 65. The best way to avoid being very ill with sepsis is to know the symptoms and seek medical care quickly if you suspect sepsis.
OJ - Sepsis is indiscriminate and can affect anyone, but we do know that some groups are more at risk, like those at extremes of age, those with an impaired immune system, and pregnant women. There are several factors likely to play a part like the type of bug responsible for the infection, the number of bugs present, or how severe that infection is, and individual factors like genetics. We can try to prevent sepsis by firstly preventing infection, along with vaccinations for specific bacteria or viruses. And secondly, having a good awareness of sepsis and knowing when to ask for help.
What are the treatment options?
OJ - Part of the problem is that there isn’t one definitive diagnostic test. Sepsis is a medical diagnosis and requires a full clinical assessment. Once diagnosed, treatment will involve a bundle of care including oxygen, intravenous fluids, and antibiotics. While a high percentage of people do survive sepsis, limb loss or loss of life is a potential outcome.
UK - It will be antibiotics if the cause is bacterial (which 90% of the time it is), fluids, monitoring, and in the most severe cases, intubation. Ongoing problems like fatigue, poor concentration, sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, and a higher risk of heart and lung disease can occur, but it is important to remember that recovery is most likely in most people.