Endotoxin, associated with sepsis, is responsible for a hyper-immune reaction that can lead to organ dysfunction and death.  Several recent studies have hypothesized that in patients with prolonged sepsis there is a shift towards an immunosuppressed state.  Scientists from Washington University in St. Louis have recently addressed this possibility by monitoring reactivation of latent viruses in ICU patients.  They found a marked increase in viral reactivation in patients with protracted sepsis as well as increases in opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections.

Reactivation of Multiple Viruses in Patients with Sepsis

These results suggest a significant change in the understanding of immune response during sepsis.  This would lead to a reevaluation of treatment dependent on the stage of disease progression.

Scientists at BioDtech, Inc. have measured previously undetectable levels of endotoxin which could cause activation of the immune system.  BioDtech products are designed to more accurately detect endotoxin and remove it from proteins and DNA.