risk factors for sepsis
Last reviewed 05/2021
Risk factors for sepsis
- people in the groups below are at higher risk of developing sepsis:
- the very young (under 1 year) and older people (over 75 years) or
- people who are very frail people who have impaired immune systems because
of illness or
- drugs, including:
- people being treated for cancer with chemotherapy
- people who have impaired immune function (for example, people with diabetes, people who have had a splenectomy, or people with sickle cell disease)
- people taking long-term steroids
- people taking immunosuppressant drugs to treat non-malignant disorders
such as rheumatoid arthritis
- people who have had surgery, or other invasive procedures, in the past
6 weeks
- people with any breach of skin integrity (for example, cuts, burns,
blisters or skin infections)
- people who misuse drugs intravenously
- people with indwelling lines or catheters
- the very young (under 1 year) and older people (over 75 years) or
- women who are pregnant, have given birth or had a termination of pregnancy
or miscarriage in the past 6 weeks are in a high risk group for sepsis. In
particular, women who:
- have impaired immune systems because of illness or drugs
- drugs, including:
- people being treated for cancer with chemotherapy
- people who have impaired immune function (for example, people with diabetes, people who have had a splenectomy, or people with sickle cell disease)
- people taking long-term steroids
- people taking immunosuppressant drugs to treat non-malignant
disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis
- drugs, including:
- have gestational diabetes or diabetes or other comorbidities
- needed invasive procedures (for example, caesarean section, forceps
delivery, removal of retained products of conception)
- had prolonged rupture of membranes have or have been in close contact
with people with group A streptococcal infection, for example, scarlet
fever
- have continued vaginal bleeding or an offensive vaginal discharge
- have impaired immune systems because of illness or drugs
- risk factors for early-onset neonatal infection:
- invasive group B streptococcal infection in a previous baby
- maternal group B streptococcal colonisation, bacteriuria or infection
in the current pregnancy
- prelabour rupture of membranes
- preterm birth following spontaneous labour (before 37 weeks' gestation)
- suspected or confirmed rupture of membranes for more than 18 hours in
a preterm birth
- intrapartum fever higher than 38°C, or confirmed or suspected chorioamnionitis
- parenteral antibiotic treatment given to the woman for confirmed or
suspected invasive bacterial infection (such as septicaemia) at any time
during labour, or in the 24-hour periods before and after the birth (this
does not refer to intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis)
- suspected or confirmed infection in another baby in the case of a multiple pregnancy
- invasive group B streptococcal infection in a previous baby
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