Frozen excrement pill to treat intestinal infections

Research has already shown that transplantation -excrement- stool is a beneficial treatment for intestinal bacterial infections difficult to treat.

In particular, it has been tried as therapy for infections caused by bacteria such as   Clostridium difficile, which can be fatal and often fails to be cured with antibiotics.

Studies have shown that stool may restore the bacterial flora able to fight the bacteria.The problem so far has been how to get the stool of a sick gut.

This donation "fresh" excements is required, usually a family member, and to transplant the intestine should be a probe into the jejunum or subjecting the patient to a colonoscopy.

Now researchers in the United States and Israel found the solution in capsules frozen excrement.

A preliminary trial with 20 people, and using stool volunteers showed that the capsules were able to restore the intestinal bacterial balance and prevented the recurrence of the infection of Clostridium   difficile.

And, researchers say, were well tolerated by the participants.

No recurrences

Bacteria   C. difficile   lives in the intestine of many people without causing damage, along with hundreds of bacterial species.

C. difficile

But sometimes the intestinal flora is unbalanced and   C. difficile   multiplied by beating your competitors and producing huge amounts of toxins.

This leads to diarrhea that in severe cases can be fatal.Antibiotics work in some patients.But many others develop a chronic infection.

So the search for therapies that, in addition to saving lives, can defeat the most infectious bacteria.

Careful selection

The study included patients who had had three or more episodes of   C. difficile   appellant and had not tolerated the probe into the jejunum.

Each participant received 15 capsules on two consecutive days.

In 14 of the 20 patients the symptoms disappeared completely and suffered no recurrences in two months.

After repeating the treatment, only two patients had episodes of diarrhea, according to the study published in the   Journal of the American Medical Association   (Journal of the American Medical Association).

The capsules, the scientists said, they were made ​​from feces of four healthy volunteers who had been carefully selected.

Preliminary data

Researchers say it will now be necessary to conduct further studies to confirm the results and long-term benefits.

Professor Elizabeth Hohmann, Medical School of Harvard University, who led the study, said, "The research provides preliminary data supporting the safety and efficacy of this approach."

"More experienced and larger studies are needed to determine its efficacy and safety in the long term."

The researchers stress that therapy, although it may seem simple, it must be carried out under strict supervision and warn the public that you should not try to replicate the treatment at home.

Strict supervision

Dr. Ilan Youngster, Children's Hospital Boston, who also participated in the study, said that "the use of capsules greatly simplifies the procedure and makes it potentially accessible to a larger population."

"But while we are trying to make this more affordable therapy to patients is important to remind people of the potential dangers of trying to" house blend "of using fecal microbiota transplant material family members or friends."

"This procedure should only be done under strict medical supervision with material from donors who have been carefully selected."

As Dr. Trevir Lawley Institute Wellcome Trust Sanger told the BBC in the UK, "the use of antibiotics can upset the healthy intestinal ecosystem."

"The idea is to place beneficial microbes and manually again."

"This is exciting because it (the researchers) this therapy led to a capsule. And many scientists are now working to ensure that we have the most effective combination of microbes."

BBC Health

Note: In Veterinary Medicine since 20 years ago, this practice is common in poultry and swine

Carlos Rodriguez G.

Usan píldora de excremento congelado para tratar infecciones intestinales

Las investigaciones ya han demostrado que el trasplante de materia fecal es un tratamiento beneficioso contra las infecciones intestinales bacterianas difíciles de tratar.

En particular, se ha intentado como terapia para infecciones causadas por bacterias como la Clostridium difficile, que puede ser mortal y que a menudo no se logra curar con antibióticos.

Los estudios han mostrado que la materia fecal puede restaurar la flora bacteriana capaz de combatir a esta bacteria.

El problema hasta ahora ha sido cómo hacer llegar las heces al intestino de un enfermo.

Para ello se requiere una donación de excementos "frescos", por lo general de un familiar, y para trasplantarlos al intestino se debe introducir una sonda en el yeyuno o someter al paciente a una colonoscopía.

Ahora investigadores en Estados Unidos e Israel encontraron la solución en cápsulas de excremento congelado.

Un ensayo preliminar realizado con 20 personas, y utilizando materia fecal de voluntarios, mostró que las cápsulas lograron restaurar el equilibrio bacteriano intestinal y evitaron la recurrencia de la infección deClostridium difficile.

Y además, afirman los investigadores, fueron bien toleradas por los participantes.

Sin recurrencias

La bacteria C. difficile vive en el intestino de mucha gente sin causar daño, junto con otros cientos de especies bacterianas.

Pero en ocasiones se desequilibra la flora intestinal y la C. difficile se multiplica superando a sus competidores y produciendo enormes cantidades de toxinas.

Esto conduce a diarreas que en los casos más graves que pueden ser letales.

Los antibióticos funcionan en algunos pacientes.

Pero muchos otros desarrollan una infección crónica.

Por eso la búsqueda de terapias que, además de salvar vidas, pueden derrotar a las bacterias más infecciosas.

Nota: En Medicina Veterinaria, desde hace veinte años se utiliza en aves y cerdos

Carlos Rodriguez G.