Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Ulcerative Colitis

Fecal microbiota therapy (FMT) is an emerging treatment for gastrointestinal disorders
marked by an imbalance in the intestinal microbial flora (dysbiosis). It is hypothesized to
work by shifting the recipient's microbiota toward a eubiotic microbial community that
resists colonization by pathogenic organisms or decreases its inherent inflammatory
properties. Several studies now report its efficacy in treatment of severe Clostridium
difficile colitis. Preliminary studies using FMT in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) have also met
with some success. This is corroborated by several lines of evidence suggesting dysbiosis
plays an important role in UC pathogenesis. While a recent study using FMT in patients with
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation found transplants persist for up to 2 years,
the extent to which the microbiota is alterable in UC is not known. Indeed, there may be
particular genetic or immunologic factors in UC leading to selection pressure preventing a
change in the microbiota. As an initial step into investigating the potential efficacy of
stool transplants for Ulcerative Colitis (UC), the investigators propose to determine the
feasibility and stability of transplanted microbiota in a series of 10 patients with mild to
moderate UC.