Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. In the WikiBiome framework, sepsis represents the catastrophic failure of both colonization resistance (pathogen invasion) and nutritional immunity (metal restriction). Infection metallomics — measuring siderophore levels and metal profiles in patient specimens — is emerging as a diagnostic approach for identifying the causative pathogen and predicting outcomes [1].
Gut-origin sepsis (from bacteremia via gut barrier failure) is increasingly recognized, particularly in COVID-19 [3] and critical illness. Iron availability is a key determinant: iron supplementation during active infection feeds siderophore-producing pathogens [2].
Cross-References
- bacteremia — bacterial translocation preceding sepsis
- nutritional immunity — iron restriction as antimicrobial defense
- siderophores — pathogen iron acquisition in sepsis
- endotoxemia — LPS-driven systemic inflammatory response
- metallomics — infection metallomics for sepsis diagnostics