A study led by the University of Alberta and published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that both methods resulted in a 96 per cent success rate in treating C. difficile. The bacterium produces spores that can contaminate surfaces and is challenging to eradicate, leading to C. difficile outbreaks in hospitals and long-term care facilities. 'Collateral damage'Gastroenterologist Dr. Dina Kao, who led the study, said taking antibiotics for another condition can cause "collateral damage" by wiping out good bacteria in a person's gut, allowing C. difficile to flourish in those exposed to the bug. C. difficile is a dangerous infection of the gut marked by severe diarrhea and abdominal pain. Kao believes administering FMT using capsules, a delivery mode developed by Dr. Thomas Louie of the University of Calgary, could help broaden the use of fecal transplants for treating C. difficile.

Source: CBC News November 29, 2017 15:11 UTC