title: Clostridium difficile Infection and Fecal Microbiota Transplant.
abstract: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major source of morbidity and mortality for hospitalized patients. Although most patients have a clinical response to existing antimicrobial therapies, recurrent infection develops in up to 30% of patients. Fecal microbiota transplant is a novel approach to this complex problem, with an efficacy rate of nearly 90% in the setting of multiple recurrent CDI. This review covers the current epidemiology of CDI (including toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains, risk factors for infection, and recurrent infection), methods of diagnosis, existing first-line therapies in CDI, the role of fecal microbiota transplant for multiple recurrent CDIs, and the potential use of fecal microbial transplant for patients with severe or refractory infection.
authors.affiliation: Alyssa Liubakka is an Internal Medicine Resident, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 284, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (e-mail: liuba006@umn.edu). Byron P. Vaughn is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and part of the Microbiota Therapeutics Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liubakka
authors.affiliation: Alyssa Liubakka is an Internal Medicine Resident, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 284, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (e-mail: liuba006@umn.edu). Byron P. Vaughn is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and part of the Microbiota Therapeutics Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Byron P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Vaughn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000254:growth & development*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D000069467:Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
keywords: Clostridium difficile infection; fecal microbiota transplant; fecal transplant; recurrent C difficile infection