Sepsis Epidemiology Summary
- Sepsis remains a leading cause of in-hospital death in the US, yet its burden is often hidden as a secondary diagnosis. Although septic shock is a smaller share of cases, it drives disproportionate mortality and resource use, making severity-based segmentation essential.
- According to the European Sepsis Alliance, sepsis affects an estimated ~3.4 million people in Europe each year, a burden reiterated by the European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) in 2025.
- According to the Japan Sepsis Alliance (JaSA) study group (2025), ~4.4 million hospitalized adults (≥18 years) were identified with sepsis in Japan between 2010 and 2020, based on the nationwide Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) claims database.
- In clinical practice, the majority of sepsis cases, approximately 70–80%, remain unspecified with respect to the causative pathogen, reflecting both the diagnostic challenges and limitations of routine microbiological testing. Among those cases where organisms are identified, the leading contributors include Escherichia coli, other Gram-negative bacteria, and Staphylococcus species, underscoring the dominance of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens in driving the condition.
- Sepsis surveillance remains challenging because the condition is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome without a definitive diagnostic reference standard; variation in coding and diagnostic practices can substantially affect reported incidence and mortality trends.
- According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2026), ~1.7 million adults and more than 18,000 children develop sepsis annually in the US, highlighting the substantial clinical burden of sepsis across both adult and pediatric populations.
DelveInsight’s “Sepsis Epidemiology, Forecast – 2036” report delivers an in depth understanding of sepsis, historical and forecasted epidemiology in the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the United Kingdom, and Japan.
|
Study Period |
2022–2036 |
|
Historical Year |
2022–2025 |
|
Forecast Period |
2026–2036 |
|
Base Year |
2025 |
|
Geographies Covered |
ü North America : The US ü Europe: Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK ü Asia-Pacific: Japan |
|
Sepsis Epidemiology Segmentation Analysis |
Patient Burden Assessment · Incident Cases of Sepsis · Origin-specific Cases of Sepsis · Gender-specific Cases of Sepsis · Severity-specific Cases of Sepsis · Total Treated Cases of Sepsis · Refractory Cases of Sepsis |
|
Analysis |
· Addressable Patient Population · KOL views |
Sepsis Understanding
Sepsis Overview
Sepsis is a serious, life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection, resulting in organ dysfunction. This exaggerated response damages the body’s own tissues and organs and, if not identified and treated quickly, can progress to shock, multiple organ failure, and even death. Almost any infection can lead to sepsis if untreated. Bacterial infections are the most common cause, but viral, fungal, and parasitic infections can also precipitate sepsis. Common infection sites include the appendix, abdomen, gallbladder, liver, intestines, brain, spinal cord, lungs, skin and soft tissue, and urinary tract. Sepsis itself is not contagious, but the infections that trigger it sometimes are.
Sepsis Diagnosis
Diagnosis of sepsis requires medical evaluation based on the combination of clinical signs and confirmatory investigations. Blood tests are used to check for infection and organ injury, cultures and other tests identify the causative germ, and imaging, such as X-rays or CT scans, may be performed to detect the source of infection or tissue damage.
Further details related to country-based variations are provided in the report…
Sepsis Epidemiology
Key Findings from Sepsis Epidemiological Analysis and Forecast
- As per DelveInsight analysis, the incident cases of sepsis in the US were ~2.4 million in 2025. The incidence of sepsis in the US is rising, driven by an aging population, higher occurrence of comorbidities, and infections originating from the lungs, urinary tract, gut, skin, and bloodstream.
- In 2025, lung infections represented the largest source of sepsis cases in the US, accounting for approximately 35% of cases, followed by urinary tract infections (UTIs) at 25%, while gut and skin infections each accounted for 10%, and bloodstream infections represented 5%.
- In 2025, males accounted for approximately 52% of sepsis cases in the US, while females comprised around 48%. Sepsis cases in the United States were almost evenly distributed between males and females, indicating that the condition poses a comparable risk to both genders.
- According to International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) (2024), about ~550,730 sepsis cases occur annually across five European countries, with the highest numbers in Germany (~147,401) and the UK (~144,792), followed by France (~105,016), Spain (~77,496), and Italy (~76,033).
- In 2025, sepsis without organ dysfunction accounted for the highest number of cases in the United States, at approximately ~1.4 million followed by severe sepsis and septic shock. Sepsis without organ dysfunction represented the majority of cases in the United States, while severe sepsis and septic shock comprised a considerably smaller proportion.
- According to Tonai et al. (2022), ~516,000 adult sepsis patients were admitted to critical care units in Japan between April 2010 and March 2020, based on the nationwide DPC claims database. Of these, 90% had community-onset sepsis and 10% hospital-onset sepsis.
- According to European Sepsis Alliance (2017) affects people across all age groups in Europe, with approximately 75% of the estimated ~2.8 million survivors experiencing long-term sequelae, highlighting the substantial and persistent burden of the condition.
- As per Kobayashi et al. (2025) analyzed the nationwide DPC claims database for Japanese critical care units (FY2010–2019). Of ~1.88 million critical care patients with an infection-related diagnosis, ~512,000 (27%) met the sepsis criteria. Respiratory infections were the most common source of sepsis across all age groups, ranging from ~37% in patients aged 40–49 years to ~51% in those aged ≥90 years.
Industry Experts and Physician Views for Sepsis
To keep up with sepsis dynamic epidemiology trends, we take Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) opinions working in the domain through primary research to fill the data gaps and validate our secondary research. Industry Experts were contacted for insights on the sepsis epidemiology, including MD, PhD, Instructor, Postdoctoral Researcher, Professor, Researcher, and others.
DelveInsight’s analysts connected with 10+ KOLs to gather insights at country level. Center such as Duke University School of Medicine, University of Florida Gainesville, Stanford University, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Iwate Medical University, Leipzig University Hospital, and University of Florida etc. were contacted.
Their opinion helps understand, validate, highlight and provide epidemiological context in sepsis.
|
Region |
Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) |
|
United States |
“While sepsis most often originates from infections that begin prior to hospital arrival, a notable proportion of cases emerge during hospitalization itself. Clinically, those identified at admission typically in the emergency department are categorized as community-onset sepsis, whereas cases first arising more than 48 hours after admission are recognized as hospital-onset sepsis” |
|
Germany |
“Being older than 65 years is recognized as an independent risk factor for mortality in sepsis. This is largely due to age-related decline in adaptive immunity, where both B and T cell functions become progressively impaired.” |
Note: Detailed assessment of KOL Views will be provided in the full report on sepsis...
Scope of the Sepsis Epidemiology Report
- The report covers a segment of key events, an executive summary, a descriptive overview of sepsis, explaining its causes, signs and symptoms, and pathogenesis.
- Comprehensive insight has been provided into the epidemiology segments and forecasts, the future growth potential of the diagnosis rate, and disease progression.
Sepsis Epidemiology Report Insights
- Sepsis Patient Population Forecast
Sepsis Epidemiology Report Key Strengths
- Epidemiology‑based (Epi‑based) Bottom‑up Forecasting
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Enabled Market Research Report
- 11-Year Forecast
Explore DelveInsight’s Sepsis Market Forecast Report for comprehensive insights into disease epidemiology, emerging treatment trends, market dynamics, and forecasts through 2036.
FAQs
- What are the disease risks, burdens, and unmet needs of sepsis?
- What will be the growth opportunities across the 7MM concerning the patient population with sepsis?
- What is the sepsis incidence in the US, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the UK, and Japan?
- What is the historical and forecasted sepsis patient pool in the US, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the UK, and Japan?
Reasons to Buy Sepsis Epidemiology Report
- Insights on sepsis burden and disease incidence, evolution in diagnosis, and factors contributing to the change in the epidemiology of the disease during the forecast years.
- To understand key opinion leaders’ perspectives around the diagnostic challenges to overcome barriers in the future.
- Detailed insights on various factors hampering disease diagnosis and other existing diagnostic challenges.
- Clear methodology, validated assumptions, and data-driven rationale to assess the sepsis epidemiology analysis and patient population trends.
