Brett Abbenbroek | Sepsis Australia

Sepsis is life threatening…if concerned, seek advice immediately and ask #coulditbesepsis?

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to any infection that progresses quickly and requires immediate attention. Know the signs and symptoms (one or all of the following may be present).

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SEPSIS

Rapid breathing

Rapid heart rate

Confusion, slurred speech or disorientation

Fever or shivering

Muscle pain

Not passing urine

Discoloured skin

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO!

Early-stage sepsis:

Sufferers are generally unwell, may display one or all of the signs and symptoms, feel worse than when previously sick and there is concern
Contact healthdirect at https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/ OR Call 1800 022 222 (24 hours) and ask…could it be sepsis?

Later stage sepsis:

Sufferers are seriously unwell, likely to display significant changes in multiple signs and symptoms, feel like they might die and there is serious concern
CALL 000 Ambulance or if quicker go immediately to the closest Emergency Department and ask….could it be sepsis?

Key considerations:

If concerned get advice immediately
If seriously concerned get treatment immediately
Inflammation due to infection is normal but in sepsis the inflammation response is uncontrolled, it may start mildly but rapidly escalate to critical illness
Sepsis is difficult to recognise as it may not have an obvious cause, it can look like viral or bacterial illnesses such as flu, gastro or urinary tract infection
Trust your intuition…if it doesn’t feel right TAKE ACTION and always ask…could it be sepsis?

symptom checker Call 000

Sepsis Australia congratulates Matt Ames on being appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Matt is a leader in sepsis advocacy and is invaluable to our program of work to improve outcomes for those who have suffered sepsis, which no doubt has saved many lives. Matts resilience, intelligence, professional expertise, insights and kindness are an inspiration. This award is well earned and justly deserved. Thank you Matt for everything you have done and continue to do to reduce the burden of sepsis in Australia.

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Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division Mr Matthew Bruce Ames, QLD For significant service to community health, to engineering, to business administration, and to corporate governance. Hear and Say • Board Chair, 2020-2026. • Board Member, since 2016-2026. Bionics Gamechangers Australia • Board Member, 2018-2025. • Steering Committee Member, Bionics Queensland, c2017. Queensland Health • Deputy Chair, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, current. • Board Member, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, since 2022. • Adult Consumer Representative, Queensland Sepsis Steering Committee, since 2017. • Member, Statewide Infection Control Network, since 2020. • Director, EMPOWER Project, Jamieson Trauma Institute, Metro North Health, and Queenslanders with Disability Network, since 2025. Australian Digital Health Agency • Steering Committee Member, Consumer Representative, The Pathology Program Steering Group, and Diagnostic Imaging Program Steering Group, c2017-2018. Australian Sepsis Network • Member, Sepsis Australia Consumer Advisory Group, current. • Member, Quad Squad – National Amputee Support Group. • Contributor, Stopping Sepsis National Action Plan, 2017. The Corporation of the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane – Centacare • Board Member, Xavier Children’s Support Network, 2018-2024. • Council Member, Centacare Brisbane, 2018-2025. • Board Member, Get Started Disability Support Australia, since 2025. Professional • Director, Ames Developments Pty Ltd, since 2016. • Group Manager, Health, Safety and Environment, Origin Energy, 2007-2012. • Principal Environmental Engineer, URS Corporation, 2003-2007. • Senior Environmental Advisor, Santos Ltd, 1997-2003. • Environmental Engineer, Dames and Moore, 1995-1997. • Co-Author, book, Will to Live, memoir, 328p, Penguin Ebooks, 2014. Awards and Recognition include: • Queensland Pride of Australia Medal for Courage, News Corp Australia, 2013.

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC), a joint initiative of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), released two new guidelines for treating adults and children with sepsis, the body’s extreme and potentially deadly response to an infection. The guidelines include updated recommendations based on new clinical evidence published since the previous guidelines. To optimize care of diverse patients with sepsis worldwide, the guideline panels included experts from various backgrounds across all continents, including representation from patients and families.

Access the SSC guidelines at:

Adult: https://sccm.org/survivingsepsiscampaign/guidelines-and-resources/surviving-sepsis-campaign-adult-guidelines

Children’s: https://sccm.org/survivingsepsiscampaign/guidelines-and-resources/surviving-sepsis-campaign-pediatric-guidelines