Background: Severe sepsis is a sepsis leading to organ dysfunction. It has rapid progression, multiple
organ damage and high mortality. Patients and Methods: Prospective study was performed on 78 patients
diagnosed clinically severe sepsis, hospitalized and treated at the ICU of the Dak Lak General Hospital, from
April, 2016 to June, 2017. Results: The mean age was 56.55 ± 18.40 years. The rate of positive blood cultures
was 57.7%, the majority of bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumonia.
62.8% of patients recovered from the disease, 37.2% died. Mortality rates associated with respiratory, skin-
mucosal and gastrointestinal sources were 46.7%, 42.9% and 36.4%, respectively. The high mortality rate
related to factors such as primary sources of infection, age (0.0325), respiratory failure (p < 0.001), multiple
organ failure (p=0.0015), APACHE II score (mean: 22.83 ± 8.15 (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The common
bacteria causing severe sepsis were Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumonia. Factors related
to mortality were age, male, respiratory failure, multiple organ failure, APACHE II score.
Key words: severe sepsis, treatment, Dak Lak General hospital