Gut Microbiota as a Key Modulator in the Pathophysiology of Sepsis: SURVEIL Project
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition frequently associated with gut dysbiosis and bacterial colonization by multidrug-resistant organisms. However, the interplay between gut microbiota, colonization patterns, and sepsis onset remains poorly defined. The authors analyzed longitudinal gut microbiota profiles from 132 hospitalized patients enrolled in the SURVEIL study. Rectal swabs were collected at three time points (baseline, sepsis onset, and discharge). Bacterial colonization status and MDR strains were determined through culture-based methods, while microbiota composition was assessed via 16S rDNA sequencing. Diversity indices, taxonomic and functional profiles, and differential abundance analyses (LEfSe) were integrated with clinical metadata, including age and sepsis status. At baseline, colonized patients-particularly those harboring Gram-positive taxa-exhibited significantly reduced alpha diversity compared to non-colonized individuals. Aging further modulated diversity and beta diversity patterns independently. Sepsis was associated with profound dysbiosis, characterized by enrichment in opportunistic genera (e.g., Finegoldia sp., Anaerococcus sp., Parabacteroides sp.), reduced microbial diversity, and distinct beta diversity trajectories. Functional predictions revealed enhanced representation of anaerobic metabolism, nitrogen/sulfur cycling, and host-adaptive traits in colonized states. MDR strains partially overlapped with bloodstream pathogens in septic patients, suggesting a possible link between intestinal colonization and bloodstream infection that warrants mechanistic validation. Our findings demonstrate that bacterial colonization and sepsis are strongly associated with compositional and functional shifts in the gut microbiota. Age and MDR carriage further shape microbiota dynamics. Early microbial signatures, such as Finegoldia sp. enrichment in colonized non-septic patients, may represent early markers of microbial destabilization and sepsis risk.
Source: MicrobiologyOpen
DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.70301
Authors: Chiara Bazzano, Alice Caramaschi, Nadia Massa, Silvio Collani, Marta Mellai, Nadia Barizzone, Andrea Rocchetti, Paolo Bottino, Maria Simona Caroppo, Valeria Bonato, Rosanna Vaschetto, Sara Scaglione, Alessia Francese, Narges Gholami, Claudio Caria, Paola Bianchi, Cristiano Lauritano, Luigi Castello, Annalisa Roveta, Antonio Maconi, Stefano Andreoni, Sandra Dalfonso, Elisa Bona
Language: English
Topic: Gut microbiota and health
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,540
OpenAlex ID: W7159683020
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