09/25/2026
Sepsis Awareness Month
“Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens
when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Infections that lead to sepsis
most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Anyone can get an infection, and almost any infection can lead to sepsis.
A person with sepsis might have one or more of the following signs or symptoms:
• Clammy or sweaty skin
• Confusion or disorientation
• Extreme pain or discomfort
• Fever, shivering, or feeling very cold
• High heart rate or weak pulse
• Shortness of breath
Now that you understand the risk of sepsis, when you or a loved one has an infection or shows these symptoms, ask a healthcare professional, "Could this infection be leading to sepsis?"
Info from the CDC.
