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Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation via Colonoscopy for Recurrent C. difficile Infection
Published on: December 8, 2014
Characteristics of Faecal Microbiota in Korean Patients with Clostridioides difficile-associated Diarrhea
Yong Duk Jeon1,2,3, Hea Won Ann1, Woon Ji Lee1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Background:
The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhea, and regional and racial characteristics influence the microbiome composition and diversity. We investigated the intestinal microbiome characteristics of patients with C. difficile colitis (CD+) compared to those of patients with colitis not due to C. difficile (CD-), patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization, and healthy controls, in Korea.
Materials And Methods:
We collected stool samples from 24, 18, 11 and 13 subjects within CD+, CD-, VRE and healthy control groups, respectively. The microbial communities were evaluated by 454-pyrosequencing of bacterial 16s rRNA.
Results:
The species richness and microbial diversity were significantly lower in the CD+ group compared to those in healthy controls, but not compared to those in CD- and VRE groups. Phylum-level analysis showed that the proportion of Actinobacteria in the CD+ group was significantly lower than in the healthy control, but was unchanged compared to that in CD- and VRE groups. At the genus level, compared to the healthy group, the CD+ group showed significantly lower proportions of Blautia, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium et al. Compared to the VRE group, the CD+ group showed a significantly higher proportion of Anaerostipes.
Conclusions:
We could identify the intestinal microbiome characteristics of Koreans with C. difficile colitis. It might help to develop microbiome based diagnostic and treatment modalities.
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