MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Michael J Sadowsky Ph.D
Director, BioTechnology Institute
University of Minnesota
MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Sadowsky: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has become increasingly common in the treatment of patients with refractory
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). It also holds promise for the treatment of medical conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel and Crohn’s disease to diabetes and metabolic syndrome. In contrast to standard antibiotic therapies, which further disrupt intestinal microflora and may contribute to the recurrence of CDI, FMT restores intestinal microbiome and healthy gut function.
Despite therapeutic successes, little is known about the stability of transplanted microbiota over time. This report contributes to our understanding of the short-and long-term composition of gut microbiota following
Fecal microbiota transplantation.
In this study, fecal samples collected before and after treatment were compared with data from the Human Microbiome Project (HMP). Treatment using FMT resulted in the rapid normalization of microbial composition in the patient, with the post-treatment profiles closely resembling the normal distribution of fecal microbiota from the donor. While the composition of fecal microbiota in the donor and recipient varied over time, both remained in the large band characterized as normal in hundreds of healthy individuals collected as part of the HMP. Furthermore, while the composition of the microflora in Fecal microbiota transplantation recipients and donors diverges over time, the recipient profiles stay within the same dynamic range as the original implanted donor material.