Figure 1.

A summary of the changes that occur in the gut microbiome during critical illness. In response to acute insult, factors such as reperfusion, antibiotic therapy and the lack of enteral feed result in damage to the intestinal barrier and changes in microbial composition. Alterations to the gut microbiome are strongly related to the exacerbation of the inflammatory response, metabolic dysregulation sepsis and the propagation of multiorgan failure