The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says sepsis is the leading cause of death in hospitals across the country.

Cases are on the rise, and symptoms often go unnoticed until it's too late.

Firefighter Christopher Askew said he had a strep infection that progressed to sepsis.

“I didn't think I was going to make it, I honestly felt like death,” Askew said.

Experts believe the overuse of antibiotics has created a breeding ground for superbugs.

“The inflammation is designed to kill the organism. But what happens is, it goes a little bit out of control, and so, then the patient's body suffers the consequences,” Elizabeth A. Middleton, a pulmonary and critical care medicine doctor with the University of Utah Health, said.

More people are living with weakened immune systems, and also more are living with chronic disease.

“People that are immune compromised, that don't have an intact immune system, are at high risk of developing sepsis,” Middleton said. “And that's because they're at greater risk of getting an infection." 

Middleton says they teach their healthcare providers to spot the signs early, and they're implementing programs to promote judicious use of antibiotics to prevent superbugs.

With the support of his family and friends, Askew is recovered and now back in action.

Dr. Middleton says when looking for symptoms, consider the acronym TIME, Temperature, Infection, Mental decline and Extremely ill.

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