Sepsis is a severe inflammatory response to infection. Infections of the lungs (such as pneumonia), bladder, digestive system or kidney are common precipitating factors. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 1.7 million adults develop sepsis each year in the United States — which equates to a diagnosis every 20 seconds.
It is the most common cause of death in hospitals, with one in three hospital patients dying due to sepsis. Let’s take a look at this serious health crisis and learn how to recognize it before it is too late.
Is Sepsis Contagious?
Sepsis itself is not contagious. However, some of the underlying infections that cause sepsis can be contagious. Most of them are bacterial, although there are also some viral and fungal infections that can lead to sepsis.
Because sepsis is a chain reaction immune response throughout the body, certain people are more susceptible to it during the time they are fighting an infection.
