Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.

Relapsing C. difficile disease in humans is linked to a pathological imbalance within the intestinal microbiota, termed dysbiosis, which remains poorly understood. We show that mice infected with epidemic C. difficile (genotype 027/BI) develop highly contagious, chronic intestinal disease and persis...

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Main Authors: Trevor D Lawley, Simon Clare, Alan W Walker, Mark D Stares, Thomas R Connor, Claire Raisen, David Goulding, Roland Rad, Fernanda Schreiber, Cordelia Brandt, Laura J Deakin, Derek J Pickard, Sylvia H Duncan, Harry J Flint, Taane G Clark, Julian Parkhill, Gordon Dougan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002995&type=printable
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author Trevor D Lawley
Simon Clare
Alan W Walker
Mark D Stares
Thomas R Connor
Claire Raisen
David Goulding
Roland Rad
Fernanda Schreiber
Cordelia Brandt
Laura J Deakin
Derek J Pickard
Sylvia H Duncan
Harry J Flint
Taane G Clark
Julian Parkhill
Gordon Dougan
author_facet Trevor D Lawley
Simon Clare
Alan W Walker
Mark D Stares
Thomas R Connor
Claire Raisen
David Goulding
Roland Rad
Fernanda Schreiber
Cordelia Brandt
Laura J Deakin
Derek J Pickard
Sylvia H Duncan
Harry J Flint
Taane G Clark
Julian Parkhill
Gordon Dougan
author_sort Trevor D Lawley
collection DOAJ
description Relapsing C. difficile disease in humans is linked to a pathological imbalance within the intestinal microbiota, termed dysbiosis, which remains poorly understood. We show that mice infected with epidemic C. difficile (genotype 027/BI) develop highly contagious, chronic intestinal disease and persistent dysbiosis characterized by a distinct, simplified microbiota containing opportunistic pathogens and altered metabolite production. Chronic C. difficile 027/BI infection was refractory to vancomycin treatment leading to relapsing disease. In contrast, treatment of C. difficile 027/BI infected mice with feces from healthy mice rapidly restored a diverse, healthy microbiota and resolved C. difficile disease and contagiousness. We used this model to identify a simple mixture of six phylogenetically diverse intestinal bacteria, including novel species, which can re-establish a health-associated microbiota and clear C. difficile 027/BI infection from mice. Thus, targeting a dysbiotic microbiota with a defined mixture of phylogenetically diverse bacteria can trigger major shifts in the microbial community structure that displaces C. difficile and, as a result, resolves disease and contagiousness. Further, we demonstrate a rational approach to harness the therapeutic potential of health-associated microbial communities to treat C. difficile disease and potentially other forms of intestinal dysbiosis.
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spelling doaj-art-e29efcffca5d4832924a324b0e3c1a002025-08-20T02:05:34ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742012-01-01810e100299510.1371/journal.ppat.1002995Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.Trevor D LawleySimon ClareAlan W WalkerMark D StaresThomas R ConnorClaire RaisenDavid GouldingRoland RadFernanda SchreiberCordelia BrandtLaura J DeakinDerek J PickardSylvia H DuncanHarry J FlintTaane G ClarkJulian ParkhillGordon DouganRelapsing C. difficile disease in humans is linked to a pathological imbalance within the intestinal microbiota, termed dysbiosis, which remains poorly understood. We show that mice infected with epidemic C. difficile (genotype 027/BI) develop highly contagious, chronic intestinal disease and persistent dysbiosis characterized by a distinct, simplified microbiota containing opportunistic pathogens and altered metabolite production. Chronic C. difficile 027/BI infection was refractory to vancomycin treatment leading to relapsing disease. In contrast, treatment of C. difficile 027/BI infected mice with feces from healthy mice rapidly restored a diverse, healthy microbiota and resolved C. difficile disease and contagiousness. We used this model to identify a simple mixture of six phylogenetically diverse intestinal bacteria, including novel species, which can re-establish a health-associated microbiota and clear C. difficile 027/BI infection from mice. Thus, targeting a dysbiotic microbiota with a defined mixture of phylogenetically diverse bacteria can trigger major shifts in the microbial community structure that displaces C. difficile and, as a result, resolves disease and contagiousness. Further, we demonstrate a rational approach to harness the therapeutic potential of health-associated microbial communities to treat C. difficile disease and potentially other forms of intestinal dysbiosis.https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002995&type=printable
spellingShingle Trevor D Lawley
Simon Clare
Alan W Walker
Mark D Stares
Thomas R Connor
Claire Raisen
David Goulding
Roland Rad
Fernanda Schreiber
Cordelia Brandt
Laura J Deakin
Derek J Pickard
Sylvia H Duncan
Harry J Flint
Taane G Clark
Julian Parkhill
Gordon Dougan
Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.
PLoS Pathogens
title Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.
title_full Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.
title_fullStr Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.
title_full_unstemmed Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.
title_short Targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple, defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing Clostridium difficile disease in mice.
title_sort targeted restoration of the intestinal microbiota with a simple defined bacteriotherapy resolves relapsing clostridium difficile disease in mice
url https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002995&type=printable
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