Critically ill patients in intensive care units experience profound alterations of their gut
microbiota that have been linked to a high risk of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections …

Purpose The intestinal microbiota has emerged as a virtual organ with essential functions in
human physiology. Antibiotic-induced disruption of the microbiota in critically ill patients may …

Despite compartmentalization within the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract, the gut
microbiota has a far-reaching influence on immune cell development and function …

For decades, the gut was thought to play an important role in sepsis pathogenesis. Sepsis is
defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to …

Bacterial microbiota play a critical role in mediating local and systemic immunity, and shifts
in these microbial communities have been linked to impaired outcomes in critical illness …

The gut microbiome regulates a number of homeostatic mechanisms in the healthy host
including immune function and gut barrier protection. Loss of normal gut microbial structure …

The gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex population of microbes that play a fundamental
role in the development of the immune system and human health. Besides an important …

Critical illness is hypothesized to associate with loss of “health-promoting” commensal
microbes and overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria (dysbiosis). This dysbiosis is believed to …

A diverse and balanced gut microbiota has been described as a key factor to enhance host
immunity to both enteric and systemic pathogens. Disturbances of this balance potentially …

Gut microbiota plays an essential role in health and disease. It is constantly evolving and in
permanent communication with its host. The gut microbiota is increasingly seen as an organ …