Sepsis ("blood poisoning") is a systemic (spread across the whole body), life-threatening inflammatory reaction caused by an infection. Worldwide, sepsis is the most frequent cause of death in intensive care units. In the USA alone, an excess of 700,000 patients fall ill with sepsis each year, around 200,000 of whom usually die. The annual treatment costs in the USA amount to more than $16 billion, and is still rising.

With the research and development of the sepsis marker Procalcitonin (PCT), Thermo Scientific B·R·A·H·M·S Biomarkers has succeeded in taking an important step forward. B·R·A·H·M·S was able to develop a laboratory test procedure for the detection of sepsis, which allows for possible early detection of the disease in the blood, so that life-saving treatment measures can be initiated and monitored even earlier.

Since January 2005 the Thermo Scientific B·R·A·H·M·S Biomarkers PCT LIA is certified from the Food and Drug administration also for clinical application in the USA (see instruction manual).

One of the focuses of the B·R·A·H·M·S research is on the identification of further biomarkers within the scope of sepsis indication for the early detection, therapy control, and, in particular, the progress prognosis of the disease. A whole family of new biomarker candidates has already been identified in this regard.

 Procalcitonin.com
 Initiative Antibiotika-Einsatz: gezielt ist sicher
 Deutsche Sepsis-Gesellschaft e.V.
 Ambulant Erworbene Pneumonie (CAP)
 Kompetenznetz Sepsis (SEPNET)
 Surviving Sepsis
 International Sepsis Forum

RIA - Radio Immuno Assay
LIA - Luminescence Immuno Assay
EIA - Enzyme Immuno Assay
KRYPTOR - Time Resolved Amplified Cryptate Emission (TRACE-Technology)
us - ultrasensitive

** under development