Faecal Microbiota Transplantation: Alteration of the Gut Microbiome for the Effective Treatment of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis
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Authors
Phillips, Ciara
Issue Date
2023
Type
Thesis
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The Gut Microbiome is a community of microorganisms that colonise together in the
gastrointestinal tract to play a crucial role in the body’s immune defence, behaviour, and
metabolism. The Gut Microbiome has been linked to the development of many gut
dysbiosis related diseases including Crohn’s disease and Colitis. As there is currently no
cure for these diseases, treatment for the alleviation of associated symptoms is crucial for
patient quality of life. Faecal Microbiota Transplantation is a restorative therapeutic
technique involving the transplantation of healthy donor faecal bacteria to a receiving
patient with the aim of altering their Gut Microbiome to resemble that of their donor’s.
The objective of this research was to investigate how alteration of the Gut Microbiome
with Faecal Microbiota Transplantation can be used in modern Western medicine as an
effective disease treatment method for Crohn’s Disease and Colitis.
This thesis compared the effectiveness of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation to current,
conventional disease treatment methods via secondary research through analysis of
recently published scientific journals and other reliable government and non-governmentbased sources.
A major observation from this research was that patients undergoing Faecal Microbiota
Transplantation showed higher success rates when higher levels of Faecalibacterium
prausnitzii were present in their Gut Microbiome post treatment. Going forward, an extra
step should be added to the donor screening process to help determine the presence of
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in the donor sample before its acceptance as suitable for
donation. This will help increase both the receiver’s treatment success rate and patience
acceptance of the disease treatment method.
In conclusion, this thesis adds to the overall collective knowledge of the use of Faecal
Microbiota Transplantation and gives evidence to its massive future potential as an
effective main-stage, first-time disease treatment method in modern Western medicine
for the alleviation of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis symptoms