World Sepsis Day

Established by the Global Sepsis Alliance in 2012, World Sepsis Day (WSD) is held on September 13th every year. In a joint effort, the Global Sepsis Alliance and the Sepsis Stiftung will celebrate a decade of honouring World Sepsis Day in 2022, with unique events held in Berlin streamed live so the global audience can follow along here! Tune in to view events including: a scientific symposium, an international best-practices panel, and a fundraising dinner.

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the body’s response to infection results in damage to its own tissues and organs.1 If not diagnosed early and managed it can develop into multiple organ failure, septic shock and even death. Vulnerable individuals i.e., immunosuppressed persons, the elderly, children younger than one and pregnant women are more susceptible to sepsis as a consequence of complications with non-communicable disease, severe injury or infection.2Sepsis is a prevalent serious medical condition, however, remains one of the least-recognised and understood in both the developed and developing world.

Sepsis can present with several symptoms, which are commonly indicated by:

  • Fever
  • Cold extremities
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Increased heart rate

  • Low blood pressure
  • Reduced urine levels,
  • Discoloured or mottled skin
  • Extreme pain or discomfort of the body

Sepsis is the most preventable cause of death worldwide. In a report published by the World Health Organization, between 47-50 million patients suffer sepsis annually with 11 million deaths per annum accounting for approximately 20% of deaths worldwide.3 It’s reported that every 2.8 seconds someone dies of sepsis.3 The effect sepsis has on the healthcare system is substantial with the median estimated hospital wide cost of $46500 AUD per patient.4

The easiest way to prevent Sepsis is avoiding infection in the first place. This can be achieved through provision of vaccinations, awareness education and promoting effective sanitation and hygiene practices such as:5

  • Managing chronic health conditions
  • Keeping wounds sanitary and covered until healed
  • Education for safe food preparation
  • Access to clean healthcare facilities & equipment
  • Access to clean water

Many types of microorganisms can cause Sepsis, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites.3 Sepsis arising from bacterial infections resulting from Escherichia coli and Group B streptococcus have emerged as a major contributor in the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), due to the broad scale antibiotics utilized for treatment.5

Learn about what Clever Culture Systems is doing to fight AMR

You can help to end the global Sepsis crisis!

It’s important to increase global awareness of this poorly acknowledged health care problem. Tell your loved ones to participate in World Sepsis Day on September 13th. To support World Sepsis Day help spread awareness by donating to fund awareness and prevention campaigns and research for Sepsis or by sharing the World Sepsis Declaration to friends, family and colleagues.

For more information and to find out ways you can get involved follow this link.

1 World Health Organization, Fact Sheets: Sepsis [Accessed 12 Aug 2022]. Available here

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sepsis [Accessed 12 Aug 2022]. Available here

3 Global Sepsis Alliance, Sepsis [Accessed 12 Aug 2022]. Available here

4 Arefian et al., ‘Hospital-related cost of sepsis: A systematic review’. Journal of Infection (2016), Viewed here.

5 World Health Organization, Global report on the epidemiology and burden of sepsis: current evidence, identifying gaps and future directions. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

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