Operational considerations for the running of an NHS faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) service
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Faecal microbiota transplant (FMT; sometimes called ‘intestinal microbiota transplant’ (1)) is well-established in national (2-4) and international consensus documents and guidelines (5) as a clinically- and cost-effective treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). This infection presents several particular clinical challenges, impacting as it does upon infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship (AMS) strategies, healthcare-acquired infection rates, and clinical flow. Moreover, the lack of isolation facilities, inconsistencies in decontamination strategies and an ageing immunosuppressed population further adds to treatment challenge. In recent years, FMT has become embedded as an antimicrobial stewardship strategy particularly for patients with recurrent CDI as a means of limiting further exposure to antimicrobials. Additionally – following on from early signals related to the use of FMT in rCDI potentially mitigating the burden of antimicrobial resistance genes in the gut (6), and reducing the risk of future invasive infection (7) - FMT has been explored as a modality to reduce invasive infections in patients with intestinal colonisation with gram negative multidrug resistant organisms (GN-MDRO). These infections can be highly-resistant to last line systemic therapies, and FMT may offer a way to avoid selection pressures for these agents and aid overall AMS efforts. Specifically, FMT in this setting seems safe and effective when administered to immunocompromised patients with intestinal MDROs, potentially resulting in decolonisation, and reducing invasive infection and carbapenem use, with additional potential beneficial impacts upon morbidity and mortality (8-11).
Date Issued
2025-10-01
Date Acceptance
2025-08-06
Citation
Journal of Hospital Infection, 2025, 164, pp.105-110
ISSN
0195-6701
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
105
End Page
110
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume
164
Copyright Statement
Copyright © The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
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Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-08-09