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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation via Colonoscopy for Recurrent C. difficile Infection
Published on: December 8, 2014
Fecal microbiota transplantation outcomes in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients: A single-center
Sally Alrabaa1, Ripal Jariwala2, Kristen Zeitler2
1University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.
Background:
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major infectious disease focus for which fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been used with success in various patient populations.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective study of FMT in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients to review outcomes at our center, with a focus on identifying risk factors for FMT failure in solid organ transplant (SOT) patients. FMT was conducted using universal banked frozen stool via naso-duodenal tube in patients with recurrent CDI of 3 or more episodes per our institutional protocol.
Results:
Thirteen patients were included in the analysis, 6 who were immunocompetent and 7 who were immunocompromised. Of these, 6 patients had a history of SOT and were primarily abdominal organ recipients. All immunocompetent patients experienced success with FMT, while 3 immunocompromised SOT patients experienced failure. Two patients who failed FMT had a second FMT, which was successful in one patient and failed in the second patient. No adverse events were noted with FMT administration. A predictor of FMT failure was antimicrobial exposure pre-FMT.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the safe use of FMT for recurrent CDI with variable efficacy in immunocompromised patients. Antimicrobial exposure prior to FMT was an identified risk factor for FMT failure. The use of sequential FMT in SOT patients may be considered but ultimately requires further investigation.
