Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Investigating Alterations in Caecum Microbiota After Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Published on: September 19, 2019
Gut mycobiome dysbiosis after sepsis and trauma
Gwoncheol Park1, Jennifer A Munley2, Lauren S Kelly2
1Department of Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
Background:
Sepsis and trauma are known to disrupt gut bacterial microbiome communities, but the impacts and perturbations in the fungal (mycobiome) community after severe infection or injury, particularly in patients experiencing chronic critical illness (CCI), remain unstudied.
Methods:
We assess persistence of the gut mycobiome perturbation (dysbiosis) in patients experiencing CCI following sepsis or trauma for up to two-to-three weeks after intensive care unit hospitalization.
Results:
We show that the dysbiotic mycobiome arrays shift toward a pathobiome state, which is more susceptible to infection, in CCI patients compared to age-matched healthy subjects. The fungal community in CCI patients is largely dominated by Candida spp; while, the commensal fungal species are depleted. Additionally, these myco-pathobiome arrays correlate with alterations in micro-ecological niche involving specific gut bacteria and gut-blood metabolites.
Conclusions:
The findings reveal the persistence of mycobiome dysbiosis in both sepsis and trauma settings, even up to two weeks post-sepsis and trauma, highlighting the need to assess and address the increased risk of fungal infections in CCI patients.
Insights
Severe illness like sepsis or trauma disrupts the gut fungal microbiome (mycobiome) in critical patients. This fungal dysbiosis persists for weeks, increasing infection risk.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Sepsis and trauma disrupt the gut bacterial microbiome.
- Impacts on the fungal microbiome (mycobiome) in severe illness, especially chronic critical illness (CCI), are unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the persistence of gut mycobiome dysbiosis in patients with CCI following sepsis or trauma.
- To investigate mycobiome changes up to 2-3 weeks after intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of gut mycobiome composition in CCI patients compared to healthy controls.
- Correlation of mycobiome alterations with bacterial and metabolic profiles.
Main Results:
- CCI patients exhibit a shift in the mycobiome towards a pathobiome state, increasing infection susceptibility.
- The fungal community in CCI patients is dominated by Candida spp., with depletion of commensal fungi.
- Mycobiome changes correlate with altered gut bacteria and metabolites.
Conclusions:
- Gut mycobiome dysbiosis persists in sepsis and trauma patients for up to two weeks.
- Findings highlight the need to address increased fungal infection risk in CCI patients.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...