Fecal transplantation (or bacteriotherapy) is the transfer of stool from a healthy donor into the gastrointestinal tract for the purpose of treating recurrent C. difficile colitis.Fecal transplantation is performed as a treatment for recurrent C. difficile colitis. C. difficile colitis, a complication of antibiotic therapy, may be associated with diarrhea, abdominal cramping and sometimes fever. If you are over the age of 65 and/or have chronic illnesses, you may be at higher risk for having more severe infection. Diagnosis is based on a stool DNA test that detects the organism.If you are diagnosed, your doctor will treat the initial infection with an antibiotic that specifically targets the C. difficile organism. Antibiotics used for the treatment of this infection include metronidazole, vancomycin and fidaxomycin. In 30 percent of treated individuals, the infection returns within a few days or weeks after finishing the antibiotic course. Your doctor may choose to treat this first recurrence with another round of antibiotic therapy. However, in those individuals who continue to have recurrent C. difficile colitis, fecal transplantation is an option.
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Virology & Mycology