Head injury profoundly affects gut microbiota homeostasis: Results of a pilot study.

Objectives: Head injury (HI) induces a hypercatabolic state, dysimmunity, and septic complications that increase morbidity and mortality. Although compromised immune function is usually incriminated in infection occurrence, gut dysbiosis could also be involved in this phenomenon and, to our knowledge, has never been considered. To assess if HI could affect microbiota, we explored the impact of HI on intestinal microbiota in a rodent model of fluid percussion.