Experimental models of pneumonia-induced sepsis

Pneumonia is the most frequent cause of sepsis. Numerous determinants of the pathogen and a large array of individual host factors contribute to the evolution of pneumonia-induced sepsis. Thus, developing models of pneumonia-induced sepsis requires consideration of a multitude of influencing factors, and a single model may be suitable to study specific aspects only. We here review recently published animal studies of pneumonia-induced sepsis, focussing on the requirements models need to fulfill for investigations on disease mechanisms and for preclinical testing of novel therapies.