Fecal microbiota transfer: Basic and clinical aspects, current applications, and future perspectives

Fecal microbiota transfer appeared in the 2015 clinical practice guidelines for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. Since then, the prognosis for this disease has changed dramatically, with 90% of patients achieving a complete cure. The technique is simple, efficient, has few adverse effects, and is cost-effective. The most delicate point is donor certification. There are numerous diseases in which this technique could be used to modify the composition and/or functionality of the gut microbiota, although most applications are still in the research phase. This chapter addresses the basic and clinical aspects related to this procedure, and the existing scientific evidence of its usefulness.