Rising Rates of Sepsis in England: A Study

Strategic Insights -

A new study published in the Infection journal has reported a significant increase in sepsis-coded hospital admissions in England, with a 7.5-fold rise from 1998 to 2023. The study, conducted by researchers from King's College London, analyzed data from April 1998 to March 2024 and found that the incidence of sepsis-coded admissions due to various bacterial pathogens increased during this period.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sepsis-coded hospital admissions in England increased from 27.9 per 100,000 in 1998 to 210.4 in 2023, a 7.5-fold increase.
  • The incidence of sepsis-coded admissions due to most pre-specified pathogens of interest increased, with the largest rises seen for Enterococci, Streptococcus pyogenes, gram-negative bacteria, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria spp.
  • Sepsis due to meningococcus decreased, possibly due to the success of vaccination campaigns.
  • The percentage of patients aged 75 years admitted with sepsis increased from 32.4 to 52.5%, with median length-of-stay at 6.1 days.
  • Sepsis-coded admissions and mortality decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but have since returned to pre-pandemic levels.
  • Researchers highlighted the need for further research to explore concurrent trends in sepsis severity, predict who is at greatest risk, and improve prevention efforts.
  • The study was conducted by researchers from King's College London, led by Victoria B. Allen, and published in the Infection journal.

Statistics:

  • 7.5-fold increase in sepsis-coded hospital admissions from 1998 to 2023.
  • 27.9 sepsis-coded hospital admissions per 100,000 in 1998 increased to 210.4 in 2023.
  • 32.4% of sepsis cases were in patients aged 75 years in 1998, increasing to 52.5% in 2023.
  • Median length-of-stay for sepsis patients was 6.1 days.
  • Sepsis-coded admissions and mortality decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic but returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Sources:

  • Rising rates of sepsis in England: an ecological study. Infection, 2025.
  • King's College London Reports Findings in COVID-19 (Rising rates of sepsis in England: an ecological study). Ecology, Environment & Conservation. August 1, 2025; p 1.