The George Institute for Global Health said sepsis arises when the body's response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs.
The condition kills up to 5.3 million people each year. According to a 2012 study, it affects one in four in intensive care units (ICUs) across the country every year. Very few people know the key warning signs include fever and high heart rate, it said.
It said sepsis can lead to multi-organ failure and is globally a prime cause of death by infection.
The study, Indian Intensive Care Case Mix and Practice Patterns (INDICAPS), is based on a sample size of 4,209 patients, including 171 children, admitted to 124 ICUs across 17 states.
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Preliminary findings showed how 26 per cent of the patients in ICUs contracted sepsis. Mortality rate in patients with sepsis was 42.2 per cent.
"The percentage of deaths in surgical cases was around 14.4 per cent. Common sites of infection in patients that resulted in sepsis included bedsores, intravenous lines, surgical wounds and surgical drains," it said.