Kinetic study of bacterial translocation in sepsis survivors. Experimental research in rats

Abstract

In animals that survived sepsis, structural tissue lesions and macro, regional, and microcirculatory hemodynamic dysfunction were found in association with the persistence of the continued inflammatory process, which weakens the full physiological response. In previous studies, we found that sepsis induces an expressive and significant overgrowth of luminal bacteria, which induces spontaneous and continuous bacterial translocation. Bacterial translocation (BT) induces the activation of the intestinal immune system (gut-associated lymphoid tissue, GALT) and promotes the release of biologically active substances in the mesenteric lymph, which, when reaching the systemic circulation, triggers the exacerbation of systemic inflammation. In previous studies, we could observe that induced BT promoted 100% mortality in animals when associated with a condition of transient and non-lethal bacteremia. Thus, we propose to carry out tests with BT induction in animals that survive sepsis, observe the clinical evolution, and evaluate the BT index for organs and its morbidity and mortality effect. The experimental induction of BT would mimic a second infectious challenge in the post-sepsis period, which evolves with the multiple alterations mentioned above.