Gut microbiota dysbiosis and systemic immune dysfunction in critical ill patients with multidrug-resistant bacterial colonization and infection

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, particularly in critically ill patients with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization or infection. While evidence suggests the gut microbiota plays a critical role in MDRO colonization and infection, its specific characteristics and the host immune response remain poorly understood. This case-control study compared 88 MDRO-infected patients, 100 MDRO-colonized patients, and 86 healthy controls, using 16S rRNA sequencing and cytokine profiling.