How to Manipulate the Microbiota: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation

How to Manipulate the Microbiota: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Authors Authors and affiliations Susana FuentesEmail authorWillem M. de Vos 1. Chapter First Online: 10 May 2016 11 Citations 2 Mentions 5.5k Downloads Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB, volume 902) Abstract Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a rather straightforward therapy that manipulates the human gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota, by which a healthy donor microbiota is transferred into an existing but disturbed microbial ecosystem. This is a natural process that occurs already at birth; infants are rapidly colonized by a specific microbial community, the composition of which strongly depends on the mode of delivery and which therefore most likely originates from the mother (Palmer et al. 2007; Tannock et al. 1990). Since this early life microbial community already contains most, if not all, of the predominantly anaerobic microbes that are only found in the GI tract, it is reasonable to assume that early life colonization is the ultimate natural fecal transplantation. Keywords Gastrointestinal microbiota Microbial ecology Donor Clostridium difficile IBD Regulation Safety This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access. Notes Acknowledgements We would like to thank all our collaborators, especially those involved in the mentioned clinical trials. This work was supported by CVON-IN CONTROL (Cardiovascular research, The Netherlands, www.cvon.eu), Spinoza Awards and Gravitation Programmes from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). References Alang N, Kelly CR (2015) Weight gain after fecal microbiota transplantation. 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