New research suggests fecal transplants could be an effective treatment for uncomfortable and sometimes fatal Clostridium difficile infections.
Clostridium difficile infections can cause severe diarrhea and abdominal pain, and leads to thousands of deaths every year, Biomed Central reported. The infections are believed to occur when the invading bacteria takes over the patient's health intestinal microbiome. The recent study revealed patients' microbiomes were sustained for up to 21 weeks after the transplant.
In fecal transplants, fecal matter is collected from a donor and then is purified and transplanted into the infected patient via a colonoscopy.
In the study researchers collected fecal samples from four patients before and after fecal transplants, three of which received transplants that contained "freshly prepared" microbiota and one contained material that had been previously frozen. All of the transplants were taken from the same pre-qualified donor.
The researchers compared the before-and-after fecal samples from these patients with those of 10 additional patients with recurring C. difficile infections and normal subjects described in the Human Microbiome Project. The findings showed the patients who received the transplants exhibitied significant microbiome changes that put them within the "healthy" spectrum that lasted up to 21 weeks.
"Our study shows that there are both short and long term changes in the fecal microbiome following transplantation. The diversity and types of microbes present fall into a cloud of possibilities represented by those of 'normal fecal microbiota'. While we have many similarities in fecal microbiota amongst humans in general, there are individual differences that make us all unique, but do not effect apparent gut functioning," said Michael Sadowsky of the University of Minnesota.
The findings could have an influence on fecal transplant regulations imposed due to the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies fecal microbiota as a "drug." The new findings suggest this "framework" of regulation may not be appropriate for fecal transplants.
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Microbiome.
