Theoretical Basis
The hypothesis behind fecal bacteriotherapy rests on the concept of bacterial interference, i.e. using harmless bacteria to displace pathogenic organisms. This approach to combating bacterial infections is not new and has long been used in animals, for example, to prevent salmonellosis in chickens. In the case of CDI, the C.difficile pathogen is identifiable. However in the case of pseudomembranous colitis, whilst C. difficile is the most common cause, there are other C. difficile-negative pseudomembranous colitis cases. In patients with relapsing CDI, the mechanism of action may be the restoration of missing components of the flora including Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. The introduction of normal flora results in durable implantation of these components. Another theoretical mechanism entails the production of antimicrobial agents (Bacteriocins) by the introduced colonic flora to eradicate C.difficile. This may be a similar mechanism to that of Vancomycin which originated from soil bacteria, and bacillus thuringiensis which has been proven to produce bacteriocins specific for C. difficile. The potential combination of replacement of missing components and production of antimicrobial products manufactured by the incoming flora are likely to be the mechanisms curing CDI. In the case of ulcerative colitis, no single 'culprit' pathogen has been identified in humans. However since C.difficile colitis responds so well to FMT, it is conceivable that ulcerative colitis may respond in a similar fashion, where the offending infective agent/s are still unknown. It is also possible that an infection persists but cannot be identified as was the case with pseudomembranous colitis when it was first treated in 1958.
Read more about this topic: Fecal Bacteriotherapy
Famous quotes containing the words theoretical and/or basis:
“Post-structuralism is among other things a kind of theoretical hangover from the failed uprising of ‘68Ma way of keeping the revolution warm at the level of language, blending the euphoric libertarianism of that moment with the stoical melancholia of its aftermath.”
—Terry Eagleton (b. 1943)
““The Love that dare not speak its name” in this century is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and Shakespeare. It is that deep, spiritual affection that is as pure as it is perfect.... It is in this century misunderstood ... and on account of it I am placed where I am now.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)