Profiling Fecal Samples for Selection of Donors of Feces

Profiling Fecal Samples to Optimize Selection of Stool Donors for Fecal Microbiota Transplantation

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) represents a promising therapeutic in numerous clinical situations associated with dysbiosis. Today, this procedure is recommended in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections but beneficial effects of FMT have also been described in other diseases associated with intestinal dysbiosis …. A donor effect which could be related to the inter-individual variability of microbiota and microbiome leading to specific metabolic capacities may influence the efficacy of the procedure.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) represents a promising therapeutic in numerous clinical situations associated with dysbiosis. Today, this procedure is recommended in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections but beneficial effects of FMT have also been described in other diseases associated with intestinal dysbiosis …. A donor effect which could be related to the inter-individual variability of microbiota and microbiome leading to specific metabolic capacities may influence the efficacy of the procedure. The aim of our study is to measure fecal biochemical, microbial and immunological parameters that are known to influence gut homeostasis in a group of 40 healthy donors to establish a referential profile of human stools to optimize donor profiling, beyond the infectious parameters, to increase the success rate of FMT.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 18 years
2. Healthy volunteers
3. Participant having been informed of the study and having sign a consent to participation
4. Patient affiliated with a social security or beneficiary of such a social protection

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Person subject to legal protection (guardianship, trusteeship, etc.)
2. Chronic disease that can alter the intestinal microbiota: cancer or malignant disease, bowel disease, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, ....
3. Presence in the 1st degree family of one of the chronic diseases mentioned above
4. Blood in stools
5. Chronic drug treatment likely to alter the intestinal microbiota
6. Travel to a tropical country in the last 3 months or extended stay (> 3 months) for less than 1 year
7. Hospitalization abroad (> 24h) in the last 12 months
8. Hospitalization abroad (> 24h) of a family member living under the same roof during the last 12 months
9. Medical consultation in the last 3 months (other than administrative)
10. Contact with a person with an infectious or contagious disease for more than 3 months
11. Digestive disorders / febrile gastroenteritis (diarrhea with fever) in the last 3 months
12. Febrile illnesses for more than 3 months
13. Antibiotic treatment in the last 3 months
14. Treatment with PPIs in the last 3 months