http://goo.gl/iN9GXn
In what is a major step towards the prevention of recurring bouts of Clostridium difficile (Cdiff) infection, an international team led by Dale Gerding, MD, Hines Veterans Administration (VA) research physician and professor of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, has shown that giving spores of non-toxic Cdiff by mouth is effective in stopping repeated bouts of Cdiff infection which occurs in 25-30 percent of patients who suffer an initial episode of diarrhea or colitis. The study is published in the May 5 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).
"The results of this study are very gratifying because the preclinical laboratory and patient studies were all done through our VA research program supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Research Service," says Gerding. "Results of this study confirm findings of earlier studies that showed that if we can establish non-toxic Cdiff as a resident of the gut of the patient, that we can protect the patient from infection by the toxic strains of Cdiff." Viropharma and Shire pharmaceutical companies supported the clinical trials.
These results warrant additional study to confirm that treatment with non-toxic Cdiff spores can reduce recurrent Cdiff infection and prevent a first episode of Cdiff infection in those who are taking any antibiotics and are at high risk of infection, he added.