11/08/2026
Sepsis is always triggered by an infection—most commonly bacterial, but also viral, fungal, or parasitic—that enters the body and sparks an overwhelming immune response. The initial infection often starts in the lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract (kidney or bladder infections), abdomen (appendicitis or intestinal perforation), or skin (wounds or cellulitis). However, the infection itself isn't the direct cause of organ damage; rather, it's the body's dysregulated, massive release of inflammatory chemicals into the bloodstream that causes widespread tissue injury. Anyone can develop sepsis, but risk rises with age (very young or elderly), weakened immunity (from HIV, cancer, or transplants), chronic diseases (diabetes, kidney/liver disease), or invasive devices like catheters and breathing tubes that provide entry points for germs.
Half a million viewers asked where sepsis actually starts. This vid...