Yes. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently approved fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). This is a therapy product for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). FMT may be recommended for patients with recurring CDI.
You read that correctly. If you have a recurring CDI, FMT allows your doctors to take poop (stool) from a healthy donor, make a liquid mixture, and transfer it to your colon. This transfer introduces beneficial organisms into your gut.
The formal FDA approval for fecal transplant was granted for patients who are 18 years and older. The patient must have completed the antibiotic treatment regimen for the recurrent CDI with no positive outcomes.
What’s CDI?
CDI affects about 500,000 people in the United States per year. In severe cases, the condition can necessitate hospitalization or lead to death. Studies show that one in five patients who are treated for CDI will get it again.
The infection often occurs when an individual is a carrier of the bacterium, which may grow in the intestines and lead to serious gastrointestinal symptoms. The bacterium can remain in your intestinal flora for some time and become active if there’s a change in the intestinal environment.
Antibiotics or severe illness can trigger the bacterium’s activity, causing a dormant C. diff to begin growing and produce toxins that may damage the inner intestinal lining. This can cause inflammation. It is estimated that up to 10 percent of the individuals who carry the CDI-causing bacterium don’t feel symptoms and can still get rid of it through bowel movements.
Note that CDI is diagnosed through stool samples. The symptoms of this infection may include;
- Watery diarrhea
- Fever
- Abdominal cramping or pain
- Nausea
- Weight loss
- Rectal bleeding
If you’re diagnosed with CDI, you may want to discuss your options with your doctor if the infection occurs again after the initial antibiotic treatment. This is especially important if you have an inflammatory bowel disease.
Can Fecal Transplant Help?
The fecal transplant material is usually a mixture of gut microbes taken from a healthy donor. If you have a recurrent CDI, about 150 ml of the donated fecal mixture is given as a limited enema, then transferred to your colon. The enema treatment prevents the growth of the infection and helps repopulate the microbiota.
If the fecal transplant is successful, CDI symptoms may resolve within a few days to two weeks.
Is a Fecal Transplant Safe?
According to the FDA, all stool banks that offer FMT products must be compliant with all IND requirements. In addition, the donor’s stool is tested for different varieties of pathogens that can be transmitted from the donor to the recipient.
Note that the potential side effects of fecal transplant are considered minor and include potential secondary infection, bloating, or abdominal discomfort.