Translocation of gut flora and its role in sepsis

Abstract

Bacterial translocation is the invasion of indigenous intestinal bacteria through the gut mucosa to normally sterile tissues and the internal organs. Sometimes instead of bacteria, inflammatory compounds are responsible for clinical symptoms as in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The difference between sepsis and SIRS is that pathogenic bacteria are isolated from patients with sepsis but not with those of SIRS. Bacterial translocation occurs more frequently in patients with intestinal obstruction and in immunocompromised patients and is the cause of subsequent sepsis. Factors that can trigger bacterial translocation from the gut are host immune deficiencies and immunosuppression, disturbances in normal ecological balance of gut, mucosal barrier permeability, obstructive jaundice, stress, etc. Bacterial translocation occurs through the transcellular and the paracellular pathways and can be measured both directly by culture of mesenteric lymph nodes and indirectly by using labeled bacteria, peripheral blood culture, detection of microbial DNA or endotoxin and urinary excretion of non-metabolisable sugars. Bacterial translocation may be a normal phenomenon occurring on frequent basis in healthy individuals without any deleterious consequences. But when the immune system is challenged extensively, it breaks down and results in septic complications at different sites away from the main focus. The factors released from the gut and carried in the mesenteric lymphatics but not in the portal blood are enough to cause multi-organ failure. Thus, bacterial translocation may be a promoter of sepsis but not the initiator. This paper reviews literature on the translocation of gut flora and its role in causing sepsis.

Carriage prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in stool samples: A surveillance study

“…Factors that can trigger bacterial translocation from the gut are host immune deficiencies and immunosuppression, disturbances in the normal ecological balance of gut, mucosal barrier permeability, obstructive jaundice, or stress. 2 With an increase in the number of people being exposed to antibiotics, the intestinal microflora faces constant pressure of antibiotic selection, which has resulted in the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains including carbapenemresistant strains. This may pose a severe problem as intestinal Enterobacteriaceae are most commonly implicated in human infections and antibiotic options in infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) may be limited to colistin, tigecycline, and polymyxin B.…”

Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects of iron chelation in experimental sepsis

“…A reduction of intestinal blood flow is observed particularly in the mucosal layer and may cause epithelial damage [14]. Bacterial translocation from the gut lumen into the circulation can occur and further activate the systemic immune response, thereby contributing to the severity of multiorgan failure [15].…”

Avaliaçãoo do impacto do diazóxido nas lesões locais e sistêmicas em animais submetidos a isquemia e reperfusão intestinal

“…O intestino é o órgão com maior concentração de tecido linfóide do corpo 41 , e a associação entre hipoperfusão esplâncnica, disfunção da barreira intestinal, resposta inflamatória e SIRS 45 aponta no sentido de que essa disseminação sistêmica e suas consequências clínicas podem ter sua origem ligada à inflamação 30,49 .…”