IDSA: Oral ingestion viable for fecal microbiome transplant

(HealthDay)—For patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI), fecal microbiome transplantation via ingestion of fecal microbes is well-tolerated and arrests rCDI, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDWeek), held from Oct. 2 to 6 in San Francisco.

Thomas Louie, M.D., from the University of Calgary in Canada, and colleagues conducted a study involving 27 patients with rCDI infection who could not tolerate a jejunal catheter and/or were unable to retain fecal enemas. Fecal microbes were isolated from freshly passed feces from related donors and inserted into gelatin capsules, which were double overcapsulated. Recipients ingested 24 to 34 freshly assembled capsules over five to 15 minutes.

The researchers found that the procedure was well-tolerated and no patients vomited after capsule ingestion. Microbial content and quantity was similar in the donor stool sample and capsule sediment. After one oral procedure, all recipients had arrested rCDI. After fecal microbiome transplantation, significant increases were seen in the numbers of Bacteroides, Clostridium coccoides, Clostridium leptum, Prevotella, Bifidobacteria, and Desulfovibrio; decreases were seen in Enterobacteriaceae and Veillonella.

"The pills are a one-shot deal and seem to work. They are easier for patients and are well-tolerated," Louie said in a statement.