ATLANTA — A new CDC study finds sepsis is linked to nearly one in five pediatric hospital deaths in the United States.

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that causes the immune system to harm healthy tissues and organs.

The study analyzed data from more than 3.9 million pediatric hospitalizations across the country and found sepsis occurred in a significant number of young patients.

The CDC is urging health care professionals to implement programs that include tracking and reporting sepsis cases.

The agency is also urging parents to know the signs and symptoms of sepsis, noting that most cases in children begin before they go to the hospital.