[Immunosuppression and infection]

The course of prolonged sepsis is characterized by an initial activation of the immune system followed by the transition into a state of immunosuppression. Accordingly, a series of immunosuppressive substances can be detected in the serum of septic patients. On the cellular level many important functions of the unspecific as well as the specific defense systems of the organism are inhibited. As a consequence, immunosuppression may be contributing to the fact, that patients suffering from prolonged sepsis hardly recover with a high risk to end in multiple organ dysfunction. However, increasing efforts to investigate this problem may result in therapeutic approaches which may help to improve the bad prognosis of sepsis.