Dear Colleagues,

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition world-wide with a high mortality rate. It is characterized by the presence of infection and one or more organ dysfunction/failure. The immune system plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of sepsis and its outcome. For example, healthy adults with a normal immune function/status can easily clear the infection, in contrast to sepsis in young children and older adults with an under developed immune system and immunosenescence seen in aging populations. Thus, factors (age, co-morbidity, chronic stress, microbiota, nutritional status, and pathogen-type) governing the healthy immune system are critical for the understanding of sepsis immunopathogenesis and sepsis-associated immune dysregulation. Pro- and anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive immune responses occur simultaneously in sepsis patients; therefore stage-specific immune-based therapies will play a major role in the clinical management sepsis.

This current special issue is focused on targeted therapies to treat immunodysregualtion during sepsis.

Vijay Kumar
Guest Editor