Sepsis is a form of blood poisoning or septicemia, it is the bodies own “over-reaction” to a bacterial infection.
Worldwide sepsis is one of the most common deadly diseases, yet it is the one of the least well known. Every hour, around 1,000 people die from Sepsis worldwide. It is crucially important that the early symptoms of Sepsis are recognised by the public and the health workers and treatment started, where possible, within the first hour – the “Golden Hour.” If it is, then the risk of death from Sepsis is halved.

The diagnosis and treatment of Sepsis poses a medical emergency, however, the early symptoms of sepsis are fever like, therefore easy to misdiagnose. If the condition is diagnosed and treated in the first hour following presentation, the patient has more than an 80% survival rate. After the sixth hour, the patient only has a 30% chance of survival.

Developing a Sepsis Diagnostic

MicroLab Devices are leading a Technology Strategy Board funded consortium called PROMPT Sepsis to develop a diagnostic test for the early detection of Sepsis which utilises a finger prick of blood to provide a clinical diagnostic outcome to guide treatment within 5 minutes, without ever leaving the patients side or requiring any external resources. We are striving to achieve a low-cost, disposible test cartidge by combining the technologies of the University of Liverpool and Foresite Diagnostics.