Sepsis is a life threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection damages its own tissues and organs. It can be triggered by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites and often begins with a common infection such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection or abdominal infection. Once dysregulated inflammation starts, it can rapidly progress to septic shock, organ failure and death if not treated promptly.

Early diagnosis is difficult because symptoms are non specific. Patients may have fever or low temperature, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, and low blood pressure. Current diagnosis relies on clinical evaluation, blood tests, cultures and scoring systems like SOFA and qSOFA, but these are imperfect and often detect sepsis only after significant deterioration.

Research is focused on improving early detection using biomarkers such as procalcitonin, C reactive protein and panels of inflammatory mediators, as well as genomic and transcriptomic signatures that may distinguish sepsis from non infectious inflammation. Machine learning models that integrate vital signs, lab values and electronic health record data are being developed to flag sepsis risk hours before clinicians usually recognize it.

Therapy still depends on rapid administration of broad spectrum antibiotics, source control of infection and organ support in intensive care. Large trials of therapies targeting inflammation, coagulation or immune modulation have mostly failed, highlighting the complexity and heterogeneity of sepsis. Current research emphasizes personalized approaches, better patient stratification, optimization of fluid and vasopressor therapy, and stewardship to reduce antimicrobial resistance, alongside public and professional education to improve recognition and timely treatment.