Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection that can be bacterial, fungal, protozoal, or viral in origin, including the virus that causes COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 infections frequently leads to organ dysfunction that is similar to that seen in forms of sepsis and other pathogenic organisms.

There are clinically relevant differences between manifestations of COVID-19 sepsis and typical bacterial sepsis, but they are quantitative rather than qualitative differences. Clinicians have seen them before in other patients with sepsis, even before the Coronavirus infected its first human. With influenza, bacterial problems usually follow the virus whereas with COVID-19, to add insult to injury, the prolonged duration of the viral infection usually means we are actively dealing with organ damage directly and indirectly from the virus and bacteria simultaneously.

Bottom line, early recognition and diagnosis of sepsis are associated with improved patient outcomes. HealthCap has resources available on our website, some basic, infographic, easy to use documents that can be used as training tools, postings and cards that attach to staff name badges. That’s how important identifying sepsis early is! Take a few minutes to check out the website, download the tools and educate your staff! Remember, sepsis kills, COVID-19 kills, combined, the mortality rate can be significantly higher!

Stay well, stay safe and stay tuned!