Sepsis.

Essential facts [Figure: see text] Sepsis, a clinical syndrome caused by the body's immune and coagulation systems being switched on by an infection, is believed to cause about 44,000 deaths a year. If not recognised early and treated promptly, sepsis can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death. Major reports (UK parliamentary and health service ombudsman enquiry in 2013 and the UK National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death in 2015) have highlighted sepsis as being a leading cause of avoidable death that kills more people than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.