When germs or bacteria enter the bloodstream and turns into sepsis, it is a medical emergency that can quickly lead to death. Bacteria can get into the blood stream due to a cut or scrape on the skin, urinary tract infection (UTI) or a respiratory infection. It is critical to the survival of the patient that the diagnosis of sepsis is made as soon as possible and that treatment is started. The problem is recognizing what is wrong before it is too late.  A delay in diagnosis of sepsis can be deadly.

Patients with developing sepsis often have signs of the flu-vomiting, fever, lethargy and chills may be present in the flu and in sepsis. Early #sepsis is treated with antibiotics and IV fluids. In medical malpractice cases that we have handled the problem is frequently a lack of recognition of the signs of sepsis. We have also handled cases where the diagnosis of sepsis is suspected but the treatment is delayed or inadequate. We have repeatedly seen patients who were not given enough IV fluids despite the presumed diagnosis of sepsis.

In these times of an epidemic outbreak of the flu it is expected that patients will develop sepsis at an alarming rate. Read more about the tragic case of the death of a 12-year old little boy who showed signs of sepsis that started with a minor scrape on his leg.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/sepsis-doctors-miss-warning-signs-infection/t/story?id=16816251