Fecal transplants for severe diarrhea

Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz

Elhuyar Zientzia

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Clostridium difficile bacteria causes severe diarrhea Ed. Biologist Pictures

During a clinical session, fecal transplants have been shown to be effective in combating repetitive infections of the Clostridium difficile bacteria. This bacterium produces severe diarrhea and when infections are repetitive it is difficult to treat them with antibiotics. In fact, in the clinical session they have shown that stool transplants are three or four times more effective than antibiotics. The results have been published in the journal New England Journal of Medicine.

With the help of the feces of a healthy person, the bacterial community of the patient's bowel recovers and, in this situation, the rest of bacteria dominate C. difficile. Some physicians have long been convinced of the effectiveness of this technique and there are hundreds of published cases. But it was not a technique that could be easily accepted by the rest of doctors and patients. On the other hand, to date no such clinical session had been held. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam tested the technique for having many repetitive infections and, after the success obtained, decided to hold a clinical session.

The session began with 43 people who became ill again after being treated with antibiotics. Randomly, some were given fecal infusion through a tube inserted through the nose, directly into the small intestine and other standard antibiotic treatment. Although they thought they would do the session with 120 patients in total, the difference between the two groups decided to cancel it. The infusion cured 15 patients from 16 to 7 from 26. The rest became ill again, but they also recovered with one or two infusions.

The researchers hope that the success of this program will contribute to the greater recognition of this technique in hospitals.
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