A new capsule form of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has raised hopes that this effective treatment for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection and other bowel conditions might soon become mainstream.
A recently-reported study confirmed that capsules containing a frozen suspension of faecal material harvested from healthy unrelated donors was well tolerated and effectively resolved diarrhoea in 90% of patients with difficultto-treat C. difficileinfection.
Presenting his research at the 23rd United European Gastroenterology Week in Barcelona, Spain, Professor Antonio Gasbarrini, from the A. Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, explained: “FMT is an excellent treatment for C. difficileinfection, but traditional methods are time-consuming and technically challenging. Advances in the preparation and delivery of FMT will lead to its wider acceptance as a safe and effective treatment for C. difficileinfection that could supersede antibiotics.”
FMT from a healthy donor to an individual with C. difficile infection can restore the healthy gut microbiota and resolve symptoms. FMT has traditionally been performed using a liquid suspension of faeces from a related donor, which is transplanted into the body using a nasogastric tube, endoscopy, enema or colonoscopy. A recent systematic review of the literature concluded that FMT was both effective and safe for the treatment of recurrent C. difficileinfection, yet many hospitals have failed to embrace the technique or offer it as a potential treatment option.
