Sepsis Center Jena is funded with 24 million euros for another five years

Jena researchers want to improve long-term prognosis of sepsis patients
The Integrated Research and Treatment Center (IFB) Sepsis and Sepsis Sequences (Center for Sepsis Control and Care, CSCC) at the Jena University Hospital will receive a € 24 million grant from the federal government to advance the research into dangerous blood poisoning for another five years. Every year more than 175,000 new sepsis cases occur in Germany. Almost every third person dies as a result of the disease.

About 30 percent of sepsis patients die as a result of the disease
A sepsis, popularly referred to as blood poisoning, arises when the immune system with an infection by bacteria or fungi can not cope and eventually attacks their own body structures such as organs. As a result, the patient may suffer (multiple) organ failure and die. Frequently, those affected need immediate intensive care to reduce the inflammatory response quickly. In particular, antibiotics are used, with more frequent (multi-) resistant germs are the cause of the infection, which makes the treatment much more difficult.

At the University Hospital Jena, scientists are researching new treatment approaches against sepsis. (Image: Dr_Kateryna / fotolia.com)

In order to better explore this dangerous disease and develop new therapeutic options, the CSCC will receive 24 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for another five years. "It is planned to accompany 3000 patients with severe sepsis and septic shock from the intensive care unit for years and to systematically examine them. These data on the post-acute phase should enable better long-term prognosis and thus individualized therapy and rehabilitation, "reports André Scherag, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology. Many people who have survived sepsis suffer lifelong sequelae. Again and again children are affected.

"We want to become an international reference center for life-threatening infections, taking into account the translational research process from the lab to the bedside as well as different stakeholders, from patients to physicians," explains Prof. Michael Bauer, CSCC spokesperson , (Ag)