Franco Scaldaferri , Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy

Modulating gut microbiome in Clinics: Fecal Bacteriotherapy or fecal microbiota tranplantation
Several intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases have been associated to dysbiosis, well defined nowadays according to molecular techniques, showing reduction of bacterial species considered beneficial for the intestine, unbalance of species, phyla or genera. Alterations of the composition of microbiota parallels to its functional changes, in particular production of butyrate, SCFAs, induction of mucin, and antimicrobial peptides. Dysbiosis is often associated with a damage of the intestinal barrier (“leaky gut”), with consequent increased intestinal permeability that promotes translocation of bacterial elements in the gut mucosa and circulation. New evidence, coming from Clostridium difficile infection, clearly showed that active and powerful modulation of microbiota composition by fecal microbiota composition (FMT) is safe, easy to perform, and efficacious, opening new frontiers in gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. Together with clostridium difficile infections, other potential applications of FMT include ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and obesity, infections and other intestinal and extra-intestinal conditions associated to severe dysbiosis.

Bibliography

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