Systemic Infections and Sepsis

Sepsis as a clinical syndrome occurs when a local infection with an appropriate inflammatory response becomes amplified leading to organ dysfunction or risk for secondary infection. A continuum exists from a low-grade systemic response with a self-limited infection to a marked systemic response with solitary or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) or finally multiple organ failure (MOF) in severe sepsis or septic shock. Sepsis is the most common cause of death in intensive care units or in severely injured patients surviving the first 3 days after trauma.