Sepsis

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 Sequestration) (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]Infection metallomics for critical care in the post-COVID eraPatil RH, Luptakova D, Havlicek V · 2021Open reference 1 ↓}

Gut-origin sepsis (from Bacteremia via gut barrier failure) is increasingly recognized, particularly in COVID-19^{[2]Bernard-Raichon et al. 2022 — Gut microbiome dysbiosis in antibiotic-treated COVID-19 patients is associated with microbial translocation and bacteremiaLucie Bernard-Raichon, Mericien Venzon, Jon Klein et al. · 2022Open reference 2 ↓} and critical illness. Iron availability is a key determinant: iron supplementation during active infection feeds siderophore-producing pathogens.^{[3]Bushman 2025 — The Exploitation of Nutrient Metals by Bacteria for Survival and Infection in the GutSummer D Bushman, Eric P Skaar, N Luisa Hiller · 2025Open reference 3 ↓}