Anna McEvoy reveals how a urinary tract infection almost killed her - as she details the warning signs to look out for

Anna McEvoy has opened up about her terrifying battle with sepsis, revealing how a simple UTI spiralled into a life-threatening condition.

The Love Island Australia star-turned-podcaster shared the shocking details of her recent health scare, where she was left fearing for her life after developing sepsis.

The 32-year-old described how a series of untreated urinary tract infections (UTIs) led to a severe kidney infection, eventually escalating into sepsis—a condition that can be fatal if not treated promptly. 

'I was having chronic UTIs and was on antibiotics after antibiotics. My immune system was shot, and one of the UTIs turned into a kidney infection,' Anna told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.

'Unfortunately, I was given the wrong antibiotics, and instead of getting better, I got worse.'

The situation became so dire that Anna ended up in the hospital, where doctors initially misdiagnosed her condition as kidney stones.

'After a CT scan ruled out kidney stones, they congratulated me, but I knew something was seriously wrong,' she recalled.

After being discharged from the hospital, Anna's condition rapidly deteriorated.

'Two hours later, I woke up shivering uncontrollably, my teeth chattering, and my face had turned blue. I was in excruciating pain and genuinely thought I was going to die,' she recalled.

Her now husband Michael Staples rushed her back to the hospital, where the reality star was diagnosed with sepsis.

'It was so severe that they had to transfer me to a different hospital in an emergency ambulance. It was terrifying.'

Reflecting on the experience, Anna admitted, 'I was extremely uneducated about sepsis. I didn't realise how serious it was until they told me the hospital couldn't treat me, and I had to be transferred. That's when it hit me—this is life or death.'

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's response to infection causes widespread inflammation, leading to organ failure.

Anna now hopes to raise awareness about the importance of recognising the early signs of sepsis.

'Sepsis isn't just an ''old person's disease.'' Anyone who gets an infection can develop it. It's so important to listen to your body and not ignore symptoms,' she urged.

Anna also shared how the ordeal has changed her outlook on life. 

'Health is wealth,' she said.

Anna has teamed up with Sepsis Australia following her health battle to launch new tongue twister challenge to raise awareness of the life-threatening condition which claims the lives of 8,700 people in Australia each year.

The tongue twister, 'I'm sepsis susceptible and susceptible to sepsis' aims to educate people that anyone with an infection can get sepsis.