Medical need
Clostridium difficile infection arises from disruptions to the normal gut flora, commonly after antibiotic use. In 10-20% of patients, treatment with antibiotic fails and the failure rates are nearly double for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and other immunocompromised states. The current treatment for patients with recurrent infection is fecal microbiota transplant which, in some patients is only partially effective.
Current research
We are working to: 1) identify the gut bacteria which are protective in a given patient; 2) develop a diagnostic marker of C. Difficile recurrence; 3) develop tailored bacteriotherapies for patients.