Editing Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (section)

== Epidemiology ==
The risk of OPSI is 0.23–0.42 percent per year, with a lifetime risk of 5 percent.<ref name="pmid11843905" /> Most infections occur in the first few years following [[splenectomy]], but the risk of OPSI is lifelong.<ref name="pmid11253134"/><ref name="pmid2070242">{{cite journal |vauthors=Cullingford GL, Watkins DN, Watts AD, Mallon DF |title=Severe late postsplenectomy infection |journal=The British Journal of Surgery |volume=78 |issue=6 |pages=716–21 |date=June 1991 |pmid=2070242 |doi= 10.1002/bjs.1800780626|s2cid=23790214 }}</ref>

The risk is greatest for children and elderly (70+ years old), but it can happen at any age. Greater risk is associated with [[splenectomy]] for [[Hematologic disease|hematological conditions]] such as [[Sickle-Cell Anemia|sickle cell anemia]], [[thalassemia]] and [[Splenic tumor|tumours]] when compared to splenectomy due to [[Splenic injury|trauma]].<ref name="Luu2019" /><ref name=":0" />