Sepsis or septicemia is not a disease, and to understand what it is we must start by looking at our immune system. To defend ourselves from an infection, our body has defenses that, in general, are effective and get us out of trouble without consequences. Sometimes they need a boost through drugs, such as antibiotics. But sometimes, none of this is enough and a dangerous process begins that triggers generalized inflammation that can lead to “blood clots and leaks in the blood vessels.” If the body is not able to stop the infection and the germs enter the bloodstream, a massive inflammatory response occurs that can damage vital organs such as the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys or heart.

Doctors classify patients using diagnosis codes and “since sepsis is a secondary diagnosis resulting from infection, the problem is significantly underdiagnosed, as the primary disease often dictates the diagnosis code. This makes it challenging to find a way to accurately determine the number of sepsis cases,” says Lisa Mellhammar, lead author of the study and a doctor at Skåne University Hospital.