It means that the normal defenses of the body against overwhelming infection are breaking down and bacterial germs are loose and multiplying in the bloodstream.
Sepsis is a medical emergency requiring swift and decisive intervention.
Septic shock and death will follow if this condition is left untreated for long. While awaiting these test results, powerful antibiotics are administered intravenously in high doses until the situation is more clear - whether the patient is truly gravely infected or perhaps suffering from another illness, often viral , which is not serious. Most septic workups are false alarms, but they are a small price to pay for saving young lives.