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Long-Term Health Effects Linked to Fecal Microbiota Transplants

Researchers recommend an omni-microbial transplant approach to ensure region-specific microbes repopulate appropriate sections of the gut

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Overview

  • FMT transfers a heterogeneous community of colon-derived anaerobic bacteria to patients and is approved by the FDA only for recurrent Clostridium difficile infections.
  • In murine models, researchers observed colon-derived microbes colonizing the small intestine and other non-native regions for months after a single transplant.
  • Persistent microbial mismatches reshaped intestinal tissues by altering gene and protein expression to favor transplanted bacteria.
  • Off-target colonization led to changes in liver metabolism, immune function, feeding behavior and energy expenditure in recipient mice.
  • The proposed omni-microbial transplant method would source microbes from each intestinal segment to better match regional ecosystems.