The Most Costly Medical Disease In The World Dates Back 2,700 Years
With annual costs exceeding tens of billions of dollars, sepsis is the most expensive medical illness in the US.
The body overreacts to an infection, leading to sepsis, which can be lethal since the body damages its own tissues and organs. More than 2,700 years ago, the Greek poet Homer first used the word sepsis as a shortened version of the word sepo, which means I rot.
Despite considerable progress in our understanding of the immunological processes involved, sepsis still affects up to 50 million individuals annually throughout the world.
In 2017, sepsis contributed to 11 million fatalities globally. Additionally, it is the most expensive medical illness in the US, costing more than tens of billions of dollars annually.
How specific bacterial species interact with cells during infectious diseases has been researched. The study examined how an overreactive immune response might lead to sepsis and other detrimental and even deadly effects. In our recently published study, the cells and chemicals that might result in sepsis-related death were identified.
The role of TNF (tumor necrosis factor) in autoimmune illness and sepsis
The body’s response to infection starts when immune cells recognize components of the invasive pathogen. These cells later assist in the eradication of the infection by the substances they release, such as cytokines. Additional immune cells are drawn to the site of an infection or injury by a wide class of tiny proteins known as cytokines.
Despite the fact that cytokines are essential for the immune response, excessive amounts of them or their uncontrolled release can result in the deadly cytokine storm that is associated with sepsis. The first instance of cytokine storms was in the context of graft versus host disease, which was brought on by issues with transplants.
They can also occur with viral infections like COVID-19. This uncontrolled immune response may end in the failure of numerous organs and death. Out of all the hundreds of cytokines that are known to exist, tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, is the most potent and well-studied.
What impact does TNF have on our bodies?
Under normal conditions, TNF promotes positive activities like cell survival and tissue regeneration. TNF production must be rigorously controlled in order to avoid continuous immune cell proliferation and prolonged inflammation. Under conditions of infection, TNF must be strictly managed to prevent excessive inflammatory and immune-mediated tissue and organ damage.
When TNF is not under control during infections, sepsis may happen. For many years, studies of septic shock have used reactions to bacterial LPS as a model. This concept postulates that LPS activates some immune cells, which results in the generation of inflammatory cytokines, mainly TNF. The result is tissue and organ damage as a result of increased immune cell recruitment, growth, and death.
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