Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis

The diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is challenging due to its complex symptoms and inconsistent treatment responses. Given the important role of gut microbiota in gastrointestinal health, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising intervention. We describe the c...

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Main Authors: Elena Montenegro-Borbolla, Jeanine Wakim El-Khoury, Claire Bertelli, Alain Schoepfer, Benoît Guery, Tatiana Galperine
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Gut Microbes Reports
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/29933935.2025.2487905
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author Elena Montenegro-Borbolla
Jeanine Wakim El-Khoury
Claire Bertelli
Alain Schoepfer
Benoît Guery
Tatiana Galperine
author_facet Elena Montenegro-Borbolla
Jeanine Wakim El-Khoury
Claire Bertelli
Alain Schoepfer
Benoît Guery
Tatiana Galperine
author_sort Elena Montenegro-Borbolla
collection DOAJ
description The diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is challenging due to its complex symptoms and inconsistent treatment responses. Given the important role of gut microbiota in gastrointestinal health, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising intervention. We describe the case of a 55-y-old woman without prior gastrointestinal issues who, following severe depression, developed multiple gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, fluctuating bowel habits, and a persistent burning sensation in her mouth and upper gastrointestinal tract. At Lausanne University Hospital, she was diagnosed with IBS resistant to multiple lines of treatment and a multidisciplinary team proposed multiple oral FMTs. One-month post-FMT, her gastrointestinal symptoms significantly improved and remained better after a year, with only the burning sensation persisting. Analysis of pre- and post-FMT samples and donor material, using 16S rRNA amplicon metagenomics, revealed a 90% genus-level taxonomic overlap between the patient and the donor. The observed changes in the relative abundance of these genera, including the enrichment of beneficial gut commensals, as well as the elimination of IBS-associated genera likely supported her recovery. Overall, FMT led to substantial improvement in her long-standing gastrointestinal symptoms.
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spelling doaj-art-917c1bb3e1384314b79da541c237fd842025-08-20T03:29:53ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGut Microbes Reports2993-39352025-12-012110.1080/29933935.2025.2487905Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysisElena Montenegro-Borbolla0Jeanine Wakim El-Khoury1Claire Bertelli2Alain Schoepfer3Benoît Guery4Tatiana Galperine5Infectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Lausanne - CHUV, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Lausanne - CHUV, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInfectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInfectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandThe diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is challenging due to its complex symptoms and inconsistent treatment responses. Given the important role of gut microbiota in gastrointestinal health, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising intervention. We describe the case of a 55-y-old woman without prior gastrointestinal issues who, following severe depression, developed multiple gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, fluctuating bowel habits, and a persistent burning sensation in her mouth and upper gastrointestinal tract. At Lausanne University Hospital, she was diagnosed with IBS resistant to multiple lines of treatment and a multidisciplinary team proposed multiple oral FMTs. One-month post-FMT, her gastrointestinal symptoms significantly improved and remained better after a year, with only the burning sensation persisting. Analysis of pre- and post-FMT samples and donor material, using 16S rRNA amplicon metagenomics, revealed a 90% genus-level taxonomic overlap between the patient and the donor. The observed changes in the relative abundance of these genera, including the enrichment of beneficial gut commensals, as well as the elimination of IBS-associated genera likely supported her recovery. Overall, FMT led to substantial improvement in her long-standing gastrointestinal symptoms.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/29933935.2025.2487905Irritable bowel syndromeIBS-Cfecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)microbiota analysisengraftment
spellingShingle Elena Montenegro-Borbolla
Jeanine Wakim El-Khoury
Claire Bertelli
Alain Schoepfer
Benoît Guery
Tatiana Galperine
Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis
Gut Microbes Reports
Irritable bowel syndrome
IBS-C
fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
microbiota analysis
engraftment
title Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis
title_full Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis
title_fullStr Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis
title_full_unstemmed Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis
title_short Resolution of long-term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation: A case report and microbiota analysis
title_sort resolution of long term severe irritable bowel syndrome following fecal microbiota transplantation a case report and microbiota analysis
topic Irritable bowel syndrome
IBS-C
fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
microbiota analysis
engraftment
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/29933935.2025.2487905
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