Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder with no effective treatment. This study explored the short-term clinical effects of washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) with different numbers of donors on autism.MethodsConsecutive ASD patients treated with two co...

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Main Authors: Ya-Mei Zheng, Meng-Meng Ye, Hong-Ying Zhang, Dan-Ping Luo, Tao Liu, Xing-Xiang He, Xian-Yun Chen, Li-Hao Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1606417/full
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author Ya-Mei Zheng
Meng-Meng Ye
Hong-Ying Zhang
Dan-Ping Luo
Tao Liu
Xing-Xiang He
Xian-Yun Chen
Li-Hao Wu
author_facet Ya-Mei Zheng
Meng-Meng Ye
Hong-Ying Zhang
Dan-Ping Luo
Tao Liu
Xing-Xiang He
Xian-Yun Chen
Li-Hao Wu
author_sort Ya-Mei Zheng
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder with no effective treatment. This study explored the short-term clinical effects of washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) with different numbers of donors on autism.MethodsConsecutive ASD patients treated with two continuous WMT courses from March 2020 to March 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University were retrospectively assessed. Basic information, aberrant behavior checklist (ABC) scores, childhood autism rating scale (CARS) scores, sleep disturbance scale for children (SDSC) scores, adverse reactions, and feces were collected.ResultsForty-four patients were included (single-donor group: 17 patients; multidonor group: 27 patients). The CARS, ABC and SDSC scores didn’t differ between the two groups before treatment. After two courses, the scores for the 44 patients were lower than those at baseline (P<0.05), with no severe adverse reactions observed. After the first course, the mean ABC (P=0.049) and SDSC (P=0.019) scores were significantly different between the single-donor and multidonor groups, but the difference disappeared after two courses. The alpha-diversity of the faecal flora in the effective-group was greater than that in the ineffective-group (Shannon index P=0.0018). Lactobacillus was the predominant genus in the effective group, whereas Faecalibacterium, Campylobacter, and Sphingomonas were predominant genera in the ineffective group.ConclusionAfter two WMT courses, the symptoms of ASD improved, with good short-term treatment efficacy. The ASD symptom improvement did not differ between the single-donor and multidonor groups. Changes in the alpha-diversity and abundance of the faecal microbiota after WMT may be related to treatment efficacy.
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spelling doaj-art-05e7a1bec39247aa96d5f2e88f13c3e82025-08-20T02:36:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882025-07-011510.3389/fcimb.2025.16064171606417Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autismYa-Mei Zheng0Meng-Meng Ye1Hong-Ying Zhang2Dan-Ping Luo3Tao Liu4Xing-Xiang He5Xian-Yun Chen6Li-Hao Wu7Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Shaoguan, Shaoguan, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Research Center for Engineering Techniques of Microbiota-Targeted Therapies of Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, ChinaBackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder with no effective treatment. This study explored the short-term clinical effects of washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) with different numbers of donors on autism.MethodsConsecutive ASD patients treated with two continuous WMT courses from March 2020 to March 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University were retrospectively assessed. Basic information, aberrant behavior checklist (ABC) scores, childhood autism rating scale (CARS) scores, sleep disturbance scale for children (SDSC) scores, adverse reactions, and feces were collected.ResultsForty-four patients were included (single-donor group: 17 patients; multidonor group: 27 patients). The CARS, ABC and SDSC scores didn’t differ between the two groups before treatment. After two courses, the scores for the 44 patients were lower than those at baseline (P<0.05), with no severe adverse reactions observed. After the first course, the mean ABC (P=0.049) and SDSC (P=0.019) scores were significantly different between the single-donor and multidonor groups, but the difference disappeared after two courses. The alpha-diversity of the faecal flora in the effective-group was greater than that in the ineffective-group (Shannon index P=0.0018). Lactobacillus was the predominant genus in the effective group, whereas Faecalibacterium, Campylobacter, and Sphingomonas were predominant genera in the ineffective group.ConclusionAfter two WMT courses, the symptoms of ASD improved, with good short-term treatment efficacy. The ASD symptom improvement did not differ between the single-donor and multidonor groups. Changes in the alpha-diversity and abundance of the faecal microbiota after WMT may be related to treatment efficacy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1606417/fullwashed microbiota transplantationautismshort-term efficacyfaecal florasingle donormultidonor
spellingShingle Ya-Mei Zheng
Meng-Meng Ye
Hong-Ying Zhang
Dan-Ping Luo
Tao Liu
Xing-Xiang He
Xian-Yun Chen
Li-Hao Wu
Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
washed microbiota transplantation
autism
short-term efficacy
faecal flora
single donor
multidonor
title Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
title_full Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
title_fullStr Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
title_full_unstemmed Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
title_short Retrospective review: single- and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
title_sort retrospective review single and multidonor washed microbiota transplantation have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of autism
topic washed microbiota transplantation
autism
short-term efficacy
faecal flora
single donor
multidonor
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1606417/full
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