Advances in immunotherapy of sepsis.

Septic shock, with its associated high morbidity and mortality, has long been a challenge to the critical care nurse. A promising new development in the treatment of this condition is the use of monoclonal antibodies to inactivate two prime mediators that induce the cascade of events that culminate in septic shock and multiple organ failure: bacterial endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The effectiveness of this immunotherapy depends on its timely administration, which necessitates the early identification of sepsis.