Sepsis and multiple organ failure

Sepsis is a heterogeneous disease process. Individuals with severe sepsis frequently develop organ dysfunction and often require admission to critical care. The sepsis syndrome is generated by a complex interaction of pathogen and host inflammatory response. Progress has been made in recent years in understanding the highly complex nature of the host response in sepsis. Prompt recognition of the sepsis syndrome, aggressive resuscitation, source control and early antibiotic therapy are key steps in treating severe sepsis and ameliorating the multiple organ dysfunction which frequently complicates it.