Sepsis is a medical condition in which the immune system goes into
overdrive due to an infection spreading uncontrollably via the bloodstream. It is one of the most fatal but least
recognized killers.
Sepsis results in an overwhelming immune response
to the infection:
blood clots
leaky vessels
impaired blood flow
damage to the organs
death
Each year in the United States alone, more than one million people are diagnosed with sepsis. Around eight million people die
from sepsis
globally each year, causing sepsis to be the leading cause of hospital deaths.
HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS is an autoimmune deficiency syndrome affecting over 35 million people worldwide,
and is therefore one of the world’s deadliest infections. It weakens the immune system by terminating excessive CD4 (T+)
cells which are essential in fighting off infection.
Antibiotics
The current solution for pathogenic diseases is antibacterial medication.
Antibiotic Medication:
is ineffective due to an inability to quickly identify the infectious agent and carry out subsequent treatment
does not completely destroy bacteria, resulting in floating bacterial debris in the bloodstream
results in an increase in antibiotic resistance
is less effective at treating sepsis due to antibiotic resistance stemming from other diseases