Author information

1 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, 1181 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

2 Department of Medical Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.

3 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.

4 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Haaglanden Medical Center, 2597 AX, The Hague, The Netherlands; email: j.keller@haaglandenmc.nl.

Abstract

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a well-established treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. FMT has become a more readily available and useful new treatment option as a result of stool banks. The current state of knowledge indicates that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is implicated in several disorders in addition to C. difficile. Randomized controlled studies have shown FMT to be somewhat effective in treating ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, FMT has been beneficial in treating several other conditions, such as the eradication of multidrug-resistant organisms and graft-versus-host disease. We expect that FMT will soon be implemented as a treatment strategy for several new indications, although further studies are needed. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Medicine Volume 70 is January 27, 2019. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.