Species and genus level resolution analysis of gut microbiota in Clostridium difficile patients following fecal microbiota transplantation

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic human intestinal pathogen, and C. difficile infection (CDI) is one of the main causes of antibiotic-induced diarrhea and colitis. One successful approach to combat CDI, particularly recurrent form of CDI, is through transplantation of fecal microbiota from a healthy donor to the infected patient. In this study we investigated the distal gut microbial communities of three CDI patients before and after fecal microbiota transplantation, and we compared these communities to the composition of the donor’s fecal microbiota. We utilized phylogenetic Microbiota Array, high-throughput Illumina sequencing, and fluorescent in situ hybridization to profile microbiota composition down to the genus and species level resolution. RESULTS: The original patients’ microbiota had low diversity, was dominated by members of Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli, and had low numbers of Clostridia and Bacteroidia. At the genus level, fecal samples of CDI patients were rich in members of the Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Enterobacter genera. In comparison, the donor community was dominated by Clostridia and had significantly higher diversity and evenness. The patients’ distal gut communities were completely transformed within 3 days following fecal transplantation, and these communities remained stable in each patient for at least 4 months. Despite compositional differences among recipients’ pre-treatment gut microbiota, the transplanted gut communities were highly similar among recipients post-transplantation, were indistinguishable from that of the donor, and were rich in members of Blautia, Coprococcus, and Faecalibacterium. In each case, the gut microbiota restoration led to a complete patient recovery and symptom alleviation. CONCLUSION: We conclude that C. difficile infection can be successfully treated by fecal microbiota transplantation and that this leads to stable transformation of the distal gut microbial community from the one abundant in aerotolerant species to that dominated by members of the Clostridia

CD4+ T Cell Depletion during all Stages of HIV Disease Occurs Predominantly in the Gastrointestinal Tract

The mechanisms underlying CD4+ T cell depletion in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are not well understood. Comparative studies of lymphoid tissues, where the vast majority of T cells reside, and peripheral blood can potentially illuminate the pathogenesis of HIV-associated disease. Here, we studied the effect of HIV infection on the activation and depletion of defined subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the blood, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and lymph node (LN). We also measured HIV-specific T cell frequencies in LNs and blood, and LN collagen deposition to define architectural changes associated with chronic inflammation. The major findings to emerge are the following: the GI tract has the most substantial CD4+ T cell depletion at all stages of HIV disease; this depletion occurs preferentially within CCR5+ CD4+ T cells; HIV-associated immune activation results in abnormal accumulation of effector-type T cells within LNs; HIV-specific T cells in LNs do not account for all effector T cells; and T cell activation in LNs is associated with abnormal collagen deposition. Taken together, these findings define the nature and extent of CD4+ T cell depletion in lymphoid tissue and point to mechanisms of profound depletion of specific T cell subsets related to elimination of CCR5+ CD4+ T cell targets and disruption of T cell homeostasis that accompanies chronic immune activation

Body mass index and blood pressure in a semi-urban community in Ota, Nigeria

This study was designed to establish the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) in an increasingly industrialised town in Nigeria due to the rising prevalence of hypertension in non-industrialised countries. Factors associated with BMI and BP levels were determined in three hundred adult male and female subjects in Ota community of Ogun State, Nigeria. The levels of the overweight among the male and female subjects were 53.03 % and 47.37 % respectively. The levels of hypertensive male and female subjects were 40.91 % and 35.34 % respectively. The overweight and underweight among the hypertensive male were 54.29 % and 0 % respectively; while the overweight and underweight among the hypertensive female were 42.86 % and 28.57 % respectively. Hypertension among the overweight, and hypotension among the underweight, are major health concern in Ota that requires intensive medical care

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Is Safe and Effective in Patients With Clostridioides difficile Infection and Cirrhosis

Background & Aims Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) harms a large proportion of patients with cirrhosis. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is recommended for recurrent CDI, but its effects in patients with cirrhosis have not been established. We performed a multicenter observational study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FMT for CDI in patients with cirrhosis. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 63 adults with cirrhosis (median model for end-stage liver disease score, 14.5; 24 patients with decompensated cirrhosis) who underwent FMT for CDI from January 2012 through November 2018 at 8 academic centers in the United States, Canada, and Italy. We collected data on patient demographics and characteristics of cirrhosis, CDI, and FMT from medical records and compared differences among patients with different severities of cirrhosis, and FMT successes vs failures at the 8-week follow-up evaluation. We also obtained data on adverse events (AEs) and severe AEs within 12 weeks of FMT. Results Patients underwent FMT for recurrent CDI (55 of 63; 87.3%), severe CDI (6 of 63; 9.5%), or fulminant CDI (2 of 63; 3.2%) primarily via colonoscopy (59 of 63; 93.7%) as outpatients (47 of 63; 76.8%). FMT success was achieved for 54 patients (85.7%). Among FMT failures, a higher proportion used non-CDI antibiotics at the time of FMT (44.4% vs 5.6%; P < .001), had Child–Pugh scores of B or C (100% vs 37.7%; P < .001), used probiotics (77.8% vs 24.1%; P = .003), had pseudomembranes (22.2% vs 0; P = .018), and underwent FMT as inpatients (45.5% vs 19%; P = .039), compared with FMT successes. In multivariable analysis, use of non-CDI antibiotics at the time of FMT (odds ratio, 17.43; 95% CI, 2.00–152.03; P = .01) and use of probiotics (odds ratio, 11.9; 95% CI, 1.81–78.3; P = .01) were associated with a greater risk of FMT failure. FMT-related AEs occurred in 33.3% of patients (21 of 63)—most were self-limited abdominal cramps or diarrhea. There were only 5 severe AEs that possibly were related to FMT; none involved infection or death. Conclusions In a retrospective study, we found FMT to be safe and effective for the treatment of CDI in patients with cirrhosis

Targeting the microbiome: from probiotics to fecal microbiota transplantation

Editorial summary The modern techniques of microbiome science can be applied to the development and evaluation of all microbiota-directed products, including probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation

Impact of diet on hydrogen sulfide production: implications for gut health

Purpose of review: Excessive hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) production by the gut microbiota may contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple intestinal diseases, including colon cancer and ulcerative colitis. Therefore, understanding of dietary drivers of H 2 S production has potential implications for nutritional strategies to optimize gut health and treat intestinal diseases. Recent findings: Recent studies support a positive relationship between dietary protein intake and H 2 S production. However, protein rarely exists in isolation in the diet, and dietary fiber intake could reduce H 2 S production in humans and animals, even with ∼30% of calories derived from protein. Summary: These findings suggest that increased fiber intake may reduce H 2 S production irrespective of protein intake, enabling the ability to meet the metabolic demands of the illness while supporting gut health. Here we discuss two recent ulcerative colitis diet studies that illustrate this point