(A) To assess the effect of DCA on survival, we treated mice 24 hours after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) with a single i.p. dose of 25 mg/kg of DCA (CLP⁺ DCA) vs. a vehicle control (CLP⁺ vehicle) and followed 14-day survival. Kaplan-Maier survival curve shows that DCA (CLP⁺ DCA) significantly improved 14-day survival vs. vehicle treatment (CLP⁺ vehicle) in the absence of antibiotics. n = 20 in each of 2 cohorts. n = 20 mice/cohort; Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test. **P < 0.01. (B) To determine the effect of infection in the absence of antibiotics, we assessed bacterial clearance from the peritoneal cavity, using colony count methodology. Animals were treated with vehicle or DCA as a single dose of 25 mg/kg i.p. 24 hours after CLP sepsis induction, and samples were obtained 6 hours after vehicle or DCA treatment. DCA significantly reduced the microbial colony counts in the peritoneum. SHAM, n = 4; CLP, n = 7; CLP⁺ DCA, n = 7,. Sidak’s multiple comparisons test. Note: Since the axis is logarithmic, only values greater than zero can be plotted. For this graph, 2 values were zero or negative, so they are not visible on the graph.