Which of the following is included in adult sepsis criteria?

• A. Systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg
• B. Respiratory rate of 18
• C. Temperature 101.5°F
• D. Serum lactate greater than 3 mmol/L

Answer: (B)

Sepsis screening in adults focuses on recognizing infection with a systemic inflammatory response. Classic signs used in many EMS criteria include fever or abnormal temperature, tachycardia, tachypnea, and abnormal white blood cell count. A respiratory rate of 18 breaths per minute is within the normal range and does not meet tachypnea criteria, which is why it isn’t considered a sepsis criterion on most checklists. Systolic blood pressure under 90 mmHg can occur with septic shock but isn’t by itself a basic sepsis criterion. A fever of 101.5°F is a common sign of infection and is included in sepsis screening. Elevated lactate (>3 mmol/L) indicates worse perfusion and greater severity, and while it’s important for prognosis and management, it’s not always used as a primary screening criterion in standard EMS sepsis checks. So among these options, fever is the sign that aligns with the recognized sepsis criteria.