Lifestyle

Sepsis Can Start With an Ordinary Infection. Signs in Older Adults That Mean Get Help Fast

By Curtis Jones · October 22, 2026

A bladder infection, a bout of pneumonia, or a scrape that turns red and swollen usually gets better with time or treatment. Occasionally, an infection like that sets off something far more dangerous.

That reaction is sepsis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes it as the body’s extreme response to an infection and calls it a life-threatening medical emergency. It happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout the body. Without fast treatment, the CDC says, sepsis can quickly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death.

If you think you or someone near you has sepsis, call 911 or go to an emergency room right away. Do not try to wait it out at home.

Sepsis is common. The CDC says about 1.7 million adults in the United States develop it each year, and at least 350,000 adults who develop it die during their hospital stay or are discharged to hospice. Most cases start before the patient ever reaches the hospital.

Almost any infection can lead to sepsis, according to the CDC. The ones that do most often start in the lungs, the urinary tract, the skin or the digestive tract. MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, says it can begin with a small cut that gets infected or an infection after surgery, and sometimes it strikes people who didn’t know they had an infection.

Age raises the risk. The CDC lists adults 65 or older among the groups at higher risk, along with people who have chronic conditions such as diabetes or lung disease, people with weakened immune systems, and people who were recently very sick, had surgery or were in the hospital. It says most people who develop sepsis have at least one underlying medical condition or a recent hospitalization. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences also names older adults among those at highest risk and says sepsis can progress rapidly.

The CDC says a person with sepsis might have one or more of these signs.

Confusion or disorientation. In an older adult, new confusion during an infection should not be brushed off as a bad day.

Shortness of breath. MedlinePlus also lists rapid breathing.

A high heart rate or weak pulse. MedlinePlus lists a rapid heart rate.

Fever, shivering or feeling very cold. A fever is not the only temperature warning; feeling very cold is on the CDC’s list too.

Clammy or sweaty skin. Both the CDC and MedlinePlus list it.

Extreme pain or discomfort. This one also appears on both the CDC and MedlinePlus lists.

Many of these signs can have other causes, which MedlinePlus says can make sepsis hard to diagnose early. That is why a combination of an infection and any of these signs calls for urgent care rather than waiting to see what happens.

In the hospital, treatment usually includes antibiotics given as soon as possible and steps to keep blood flowing to the organs, the CDC says. Some people need surgery to remove damaged tissue.

The CDC’s advice for anyone with an infection that is not getting better, or is getting worse, is to act fast. It suggests asking a health care provider directly, “Could this infection be leading to sepsis?” If the signs above appear, don’t wait for an appointment. Call 911.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Sepsis is a medical emergency; if you suspect it, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.