Superbug Infection Treated With Faeces Transplantation

Superbug Infection Treated With Faeces Transplantation

At first it may sound a little odd but researchers have managed to treat patients with superbug infections using feaces. The procedure implied faeces collection from a normal and healthy patient (in most cases a relative), adding saline substances, then transferring into the digestive tract of a Clostridium difficile infected patient.

This technique leads to a natural gut balance restoration, according to U.S researchers, who presented their results during an Annual Gastroenterology meeting.

Clostridium difficile colitis is an intestinal bacterial infection that occurs in people who have abused antibiotics or underwent prolonged antibiotic therapy. Clostridium Difficile is a commensal bacterium of the gut that becomes pathogenic under certain favorable conditions. It is one of the most common infections acquired by patients admitted into the hospital. Clostridium difficile bacteria grows and multiplies leading to diarrhea and dehydration

Clostridium Difficile

A team of physicians and researchers from the Montefore Medica Center in New York, managed to cure 91% of the patients suffering from Clostridium difficile infection using feaces transplantation.

The study leader Dr Lawrence Brand stated that faeces transplantation is a very effective treatment option, which is very well tolerated by the patient and also a very safe way of treatment compared to the traditional ones.

In 2008 alone near 15.000 cases of Clostridium Difficile infection were reported in England, and around half a million people from the United States become infected each year. Clostridium Difficile infection can be a life-threatening condition due to its possible complications.

Clostridium difficile is a kind of bacteria that is normally present in the human gut in about 2/3 of infants and about 2% of adults. However the bacteria can not lead to health issues in normal healthy people. In case of antibiotics abuse or immune system dysfunction, the normal gut balance can alter leading to favorable development conditions for Clostridium difficile. When this happens, Clostridium difficile bacteria thrive and overgrow, producing toxins and leading to serious gut infections.

The procedure named fecal micobiota therapy or shortened FMT can help patients with hard to master Clostridium difficile infections. The procedure was also tested with great success on patients suffering from Cohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The team of physicians from Montefiore Medica center noted noticeable improvements in 9 out of 10 Clostridium difficile treated patients.