Targeted Restoration of the Intestinal Microbiota with a Simple, Defined Bacteriotherapy Resolves Relapsing Clostridium difficile Disease in Mice

Lawley TD, et al. PLoS Pathog 8(10): e1002995.

Speaker: Yu-ping Hong (洪羽屏)                             Time: 15:00~16:00, May. 22, 2013

Commentator: Dr. Chen, Jenn-Wei (陳振暐 博士)  Place: Room 601

Abstract

Clostridium difficile is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium which is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and a significant healthcare-associated pathogen. Dysbiosis, the imbalance of the intestinal microbiota, might be the crux of relapsing C. difficile disease (1, 2). Mice infected with epidemic C. difficile (genotype 027/BI) develop highly contagious, chronic intestinal disease. Chronic C. difficile 027/BI infection was refractory to vancomycin treatment leading to relapsing disease (3). Treatment of C. difficile (genotype 027/BI) infected mice with feces from healthy mice rapidly restore the diversity of intestinal microbiota. The author used a murine infection model to identify a simple mixture of phylogenetically diverse intestinal bacteria to modulate the intestinal microbial community structure. As a result, these diverse intestinal bacteria displace the stubborn bug (C. difficile 027/BI), resolving disease and contagiousness. Therefore, the authors demonstrate a potential therapy strategy to treat C. difficile associated disease.

Reference

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