Figure 1.

(a) Variables associated with the development of sepsis. Bacterial factors, including bacteria and host factors, include age, ethnicity, the immune system, diet, background diseases, and medications. Each factor represents a potential target for therapeutic interventions. The roles of dysbiosis and BT in the pathogenesis of sepsis are highlighted. (b) A schematic presentation of several potential therapeutic measures for sepsis, focusing on gut dysbiosis. A shift between a normal/healthy/low sepsis risk microbiome and an altered microbiome and a sepsis microbiome or that the altered microbiome (‘dysbiosis’) increases the risk of sepsis.