FUnctional Genomics in SEvere infections

Sepsis manifests as a systemic inflammatory response to severe infection, marked by immune system dysregulation, which can lead to organ dysfunction and, in complicated cases, death. Worldwide, the estimated annual incidence of sepsis is 49 million cases. The mortality rate of sepsis is placed at 20% of all causes, with 11 million deaths reported each year; in areas with limited medical resources mortality could be much higher. ^1–3 Similar data could also be extrapolated for Romania, but to our best knowledge, there were no documenting studies or reports on the epidemiology of sepsis in our country, which highlighted the acute need for the implementation of the present application.
FUSE (2016-2020) was the first study aiming to identify and describe the impact of the microbiome on immune system function in sepsis, and to provide an additional association with other functional parameters of the host. In addition, this project was the first to evaluate, in a complex model, the interaction between the bacteriome and host genetics, and the resulting effect on the immune response in the Romanian population. FUSE wished to rise awareness about the healthcare threat that sepsis poses, by bringing together the most active research groups studying sepsis in Romania and abroad.
The project followed the general hypothesis that the host defence against sepsis is determined by the genetic background of the host (genome) and the interaction between the pathogen and the colonising bacteria and fungi (bacteriome, mycobiome). This interaction is altered in patients with sepsis, and the identification of the originating disequilibrium could lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets.