The intestinal microbiota and host immune interactions in the critically ill

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 local contribution in the host defense against infections, it has become increasingly clear that intestinal bacteria also mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in microbiology (Regular ed.) 2013-05, Vol.21 (5), p.221-229
Main Authors: Schuijt, Tim J, van der Poll, Tom, de Vos, Willem M, Wiersinga, W. Joost
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use
Bacteria - drug effects
Bacteria - immunology
chain fatty-acids
clostridium-difficile
commensal microbiota
critical illness
Critical Illness - therapy
critically ill
Drug Therapy
human gut microbiome
Humans
Immunity - drug effects
intensive-care
Internal Medicine
intestinal flora
Intestines - immunology
Intestines - microbiology
Metagenome - drug effects
microbiota
priming
selective decontamination
sepsis
systemic innate immunity
toll-like receptors
translocation
ventilator-associated pneumonia
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Summary: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 local contribution in the host defense against infections, it has become increasingly clear that intestinal bacteria also modulate immune responses at systemic sites. These new insights can be of profound clinical relevance especially for intensive care medicine where the majority of patients are treated with antibiotics, which have pervasive and long-term effects on the intestinal microbiota. Moreover, considerable progress has been made in defining the role of the intestinal microbiota in both health and disease. In this review, we highlight these aspects and focus on recent key findings addressing the role of intestinal microbiota in antimicrobial defense mechanisms and its impact on intestinal homeostasis in the critically ill.
ISSN:0966-842X
1878-4380
DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2013.02.001